Credentialing and Vendorship: Are We Ready?

Abstract

Recently, several human services professions have been able to secure financial reimbursement for their services from insurance companies and other third-party payers through formal recognition as vendors of various services. Preceding the acquisition of vendorship privileges for these professions was the recognition by society that their national licensing and/or certification requirements were sufficiently rigorous to protect the public from incompetent practitioners. Despite the implementation of national certification processes, little has been written in the health education literature about vendorship. This article asserts that vendorship could be the next phase in our professional evolution. Economic and educational developments are brought to bear on the issue of securing vendorship for Certified Health Education Specialists.