Credentialer/medical malpractice insurance collaboration

Abstract

An inventive process is disclosed for linking credentialing information with a medical malpractice insurance application. The credentialing information is automatically transferred from the credentialing questionnaire to an insurance application, and this credentialing information is then used to generate a medical malpractice insurance policy. The medical malpractice insurance policy is a two year policy, in order to coincide with the required re-credentialing of the healthcare provider. The inventive process also includes linking an information database, not created for insurance purposes, with an insurance application.

1 . A process of linking credentialing information with a medical malpractice insurance application, the process comprising the steps of: 
 providing a questionnaire for use in compiling credentialing information concerning an associated physician to create a first credentialing application, the questionnaire including means for obtaining the physician's permission for release of the credentialing information to an associated medical malpractice insurance participant;    electronically forwarding the information to an associated credentialing entity;    verifying the credentialing information;    electronically forwarding the questionnaire from the credentialing entity to the medical malpractice insurance participant if the physician gave permission for release of the credentialing information;    providing the physician with at least one insurance premium quote generated by the medical malpractice insurance participant for use in generating a medical malpractice insurance policy for the physician based at least in part on the credentialing information;    preparing a medical malpractice insurance application for the physician;    electronically transferring at least a portion of the verified credentialing information from the questionnaire to the medical malpractice insurance application;    completing the formation of the medical malpractice insurance application;    delivering the medical malpractice insurance application to the physician for the physician's review and approval;    generating the medical malpractice insurance policy to coincide with subsequent credentialing applications for the physician;    electronically transferring the credentialing information from the medical malpractice insurance policy to the subsequent credentialing application;    generating a subsequent credentialing application; and,    sending the subsequent credentialing application to an associated healthcare organization to which the physician must provide the credentialing information.    
   
   
       2 . A process of linking credentialing information with a medical malpractice insurance application, the process comprising the steps of: 
 compiling credentialing information from a credentialing questionnaire regarding an associated healthcare provider;    obtaining the healthcare providers permission for release of the credentialing information to a medical malpractice insurance provider;    electronically forwarding at least a portion of the credentialing information to an associated medical malpractice insurance participant;    electronically transferring the at least a portion of the credentialing information to a medical malpractice insurance application; and,    processing the medical malpractice insurance application based on the at least a portion of the credentialing information.    
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein after forwarding at least a portion of the credentialing information from the credentialing entity to the medical malpractice insurance participant, the process comprises the step of: 
 providing the healthcare provider with at least one insurance premium quote for a medical malpractice insurance policy generated by the medical malpractice insurance participant.    
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the process further comprises the step of: 
 delivering the medical malpractice insurance application to the healthcare provider for the healthcare provider's review and approval.    
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein the step of generating an insurance premium quote for a medical malpractice insurance policy comprises the steps of: 
 quoting the insurance premium to the healthcare provider; and,    selling the medical malpractice insurance policy to the healthcare provider.    
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the process further comprises the step of: 
 generating the medical malpractice insurance policy, the policy being a two-year policy, in order to coincide with a required re-credentialing procedure for the healthcare provider.    
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the step of forwarding the credentialing information to a medical malpractice insurance participant comprises the steps of: 
 inserting means for obtaining the healthcare providers permission for release of the credentialing information to a medical malpractice insurance provider into the questionnaire, and,    electronically forwarding all of the credentialing questionnaires with an affirmative response to the medical malpractice insurance participant.    
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the process further comprises the steps of: 
 generating a second credentialing application;    electronically transferring the credentialing information from the medical malpractice insurance application to the second credentialing application; and,    sending the second credentialing application to another health organization to which the physician must provide the credentialing information.    
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the process further comprises the step of: 
 repeating the preceding three steps of  claim 8 .    
   
   
       10 - 17 . (canceled)  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for linking credentialing information with a medical malpractice insurance application, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for compiling credentialing information regarding an associated healthcare provider from a credentialing questionnaire;    means for electronically forwarding the credentialing information to an associated medical malpractice insurance participant;    means for generating at least one insurance premium quote for a medical malpractice insurance policy; and,    means for electronically transferring the credentialing information from the credentialing questionnaire to the medical malpractice insurance application.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus further comprises means for generating the medical malpractice insurance policy, the policy being of a duration, in order to coincide with a required re-credentialing procedure for the healthcare provider.  
   
   
       20 - 24 . (canceled)  
   
   
       25 . A process for linking credentialing information with a medical malpractice insurance policy, the process comprising the steps of: 
 providing means for obtaining an associated healthcare provider's permission to release the credentialing information to an associated medical malpractice insurance participant;    receiving permission from the healthcare provider to release the credentialing information;    electronically forwarding at least a portion of the credentialing information from an associated credentialing entity to the medical malpractice insurance participant; and,    providing the healthcare provider with at least one insurance premium quote for a medical malpractice insurance policy generated by the medical malpractice insurance participant.    
   
   
       26 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the process further comprises the steps of: 
 receiving the healthcare provider's approval of the at least one insurance premium quote; and,    creating a medical malpractice insurance policy.    
   
   
       27 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein providing the healthcare provider with at least one insurance premium quote for a medical malpractice insurance policy generated by the medical malpractice insurance participant comprises the steps of: 
 providing the healthcare provider with at least one insurance premium quote for a medical malpractice insurance policy generated by the medical malpractice insurance participant; and,    electronically transferring the credentialing information to a medical malpractice insurance application.    
   
   
       28 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein electronically forwarding at least a portion of the credentialing information from the credentialing entity to the medical malpractice insurance participant further comprises the step of: 
 electronically forwarding at least a portion of verified credentialing information from the credentialing entity to the medical malpractice participant.    
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for electronically forwarding the credentialing information to a medical malpractice participant further comprises: 
 means for electronically forwarding verified credentialing information to a medical malpractice insurance participant.    
   
   
       30 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein electronically forwarding at least a portion of the credentialing information from the credentialing entity to the medical malpractice insurance participant further comprises the step of: 
 electronically forwarding at least a portion of verified credentialing information from the credentialing entity to the medical malpractice insurance participant.    
   
   
       31 - 34 . (canceled)