After several years of advocacy efforts, the Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP) has helped successfully lead the Washington Credentialing Standardization Group (WCSG) in aligning the Washington Practitioner Application (WPA) with credentialing best practices.

The WPA is the most commonly used credentialing application by health care systems in Washington. In 2023, the WPA was revised to ask only about current impairment rather than past diagnosis or treatment. The changes made earlier this year implemented updated model language to reduce the stigma surrounding healthcare professionals seeking mental and behavioral health care. By eliminating intrusive questions and fine-tuning question wording, a major barrier to physician well-being has been removed.

WPHP is grateful to Makrina Shanbour, MD, Director of Provider Experience at Confluence Health, and her team for their partnership in bringing about this reform, and to Carrianne Dockter, WCSG Chair, for her leadership throughout the reform process.

Read more about this important credentialing reform in an article by the American Medical Association