Real-Life Math
Credential verification specialists deal with a lot of dates, according
to Cindy Carrol. She is a former credentials manager.
"A big part of
this job is verifying [that] the dates on documents match dates on the employment
application. Discrepancies must be investigated and resolved before a new
hire can be processed," Carrol says.
Depending on the size of the hospital
or credentialing company you work for, the math requirements for this job
are varied, says Carol Burgeson. She is a personnel management specialist
for the Veterans Administration Medical Center.
If the company is small,
with only one or two credentialing specialists on staff, more math is involved.
If many are on staff, as in a large hospital, Burgeson says, you generally
only need basic math.
You work in a large hospital as a credential
verification specialist. It's budget time and you have to plan how much
you'll be paying your 100 doctors next year.
Pay is based on their
education. You currently have 30 residents who each receive $55,000 per year.
With the added experience, their salaries will increase by 10 percent next
year.
There are 36 general physicians (GPs) on staff who make $80,000
per year. Their income will rise 2.5 percent next year. Finally, you have
34 specialist physicians making $100,000 per year. Their income will rise
by 3 percent next year.
You need to work out what your current budget
is (in terms of salary) and what it will be next year. And your boss will
want to know the percentage it will be increasing by.