What is the role of credentialing and privileging in PA supervision?

• A. Privileging determines salary levels.
• B. Privileging is a legal process unrelated to clinical duties.
• C. Credentialing/privileging requirements are part of the supervision agreement to ensure the PA is authorized to perform identified procedures.
• D. Credentialing is performed only after a physician leaves the practice.

Answer: (C)

The essential idea is that credentialing and privileging define a PA’s formal authority to practice within a supervising physician’s team. Credentialing verifies the PA’s qualifications—license, board certification, education, training, and any sanctions or gaps—and confirms they meet basic standards to work in the setting. Privileging then grants specific clinical privileges, i.e., the exact procedures and services the PA is authorized to perform and the scope of care they may provide, based on demonstrated competence and the supervising physician’s assessment. This pairing is built into the supervision agreement and hospital policy to ensure the PA’s duties match their training and experience, while safeguarding patient safety and regulatory compliance. Privileges are reviewed and renewed periodically (re-credentialing/re-privileging) as competence and standards evolve. It’s not about salary, not a separate purely legal step, and not something done only after a physician leaves—they are ongoing steps that authorize and govern the PA’s identified procedures within the practice.