Which accreditation defines secondary source as 'Verification of a practitioner's credentials based upon evidence obtained by means other than direct contact with the issuing source of the credentialed'?

Which accreditation defines secondary source as 'Verification of a practitioner's credentials based upon evidence obtained by means other than direct contact with the issuing source of the credentialed'?

• A. Aaahc
• B. Ncqa
• C. Urac
• D. Joint Commission

Answer: (C)

In credentialing, verification can come from the issuing authority (primary source) or from other sources (secondary source). The statement that secondary source involves showing a practitioner's credentials based on evidence obtained by methods other than direct contact with the issuing source is a definition you’d find in URAC’s credentialing standards. This standard acknowledges that, for practical reasons, credentialing programs can rely on reputable external records or databases to verify qualifications when direct verification from the issuing source isn’t immediately feasible, while still keeping the process accurate and timely. That alignment with URAC’s phrasing is why this option fits best. Other accrediting bodies emphasize primary-source verification as the core approach, with secondary sources used only as supplementary, which is why they don’t match the exact definition provided here.

In credentialing, verification can come from the issuing authority (primary source) or from other sources (secondary source). The statement that secondary source involves showing a practitioner's credentials based on evidence obtained by methods other than direct contact with the issuing source is a definition you’d find in URAC’s credentialing standards. This standard acknowledges that, for practical reasons, credentialing programs can rely on reputable external records or databases to verify qualifications when direct verification from the issuing source isn’t immediately feasible, while still keeping the process accurate and timely.

That alignment with URAC’s phrasing is why this option fits best. Other accrediting bodies emphasize primary-source verification as the core approach, with secondary sources used only as supplementary, which is why they don’t match the exact definition provided here.