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Transforming Healthcare Credentialing: An Update from Velocity Network Foundation

In The News

The Velocity Network Foundation (VNF), an organization committed to transforming how learning and employment records are shared globally, has made significant progress through its SkillsONWARD program. Inspired by the SkillsForward Grants initiative and born out of its Healthcare Cluster Adoption Team, the program brings together a broad network of members—including educational institutions, healthcare employers, and technology providers—to tackle critical challenges in the healthcare workforce.

Addressing a Critical Problem

Healthcare faces a growing labor shortage, compounded by the long and costly processes required to verify practitioners’ credentials. In states like Florida and Texas, staffing gaps are projected to reach critical levels, creating immense pressure on hospital systems to quickly onboard qualified professionals. The current reliance on outdated and error-prone credential verification practices adds unnecessary delays, impacting workforce efficiency and patient care. CHRO Jennifer Berres describes the promise of Velocity-enabled verifiable credentials in this video.

Progress in Florida and Texas

VNF and its Members decided to continue to tackle these issues head-on by deploying instantly verifiable digital credentials in real-world settings. Since commencing the work, over 47,000 background screenings have been completed for healthcare practitioners in Florida and Texas, with an 81% opt-in rate for accepting verifiable credentials. These credentials empower individuals with secure, portable, and instantly verifiable records of their qualifications, reducing onboarding times and enhancing compliance.

A Collaborative Ecosystem

The aim of the SkillsONWARD program is to achieve a self-sustaining ecosystem – where there are enough issuing organizations, individuals with verifiable credentials and relying parties accepting these credentials to continue to develop and create value without the need for external intervention. The program’s success is driven by the leadership of HCA Healthcare and the collaborative efforts of 20+ VNF members, including PreCheck, Sertifier, and Employ, among others. Partners are working together to create an interoperable ecosystem that supports credential issuance, verification, and mobility. These efforts are further amplified by partnerships with educational institutions like Galen College of Nursing, which is piloting credential issuance for its students.

Scaling Impact and Looking Ahead

As the SkillsONWARD program expands, its reach is extending beyond Florida and Texas. New integrations, improved technologies, and partnerships with state agencies and workforce organizations are setting the stage for nationwide adoption. The introduction of nursing career profiles and continued issuance of credentials in Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) further enhance the value of this initiative.

Envisioning the Future

The SkillsONWARD program demonstrates the potential of verifiable credentials to transform the healthcare sector. By reducing barriers to employment, improving workforce mobility, and enhancing patient care, VNF and its members are creating a sustainable, scalable solution that addresses both immediate challenges and long-term workforce needs.

Through collaboration and innovation, the Velocity Network Foundation is building a robust foundation for the future of healthcare credentialing, paving the way for global adoption and impact. We welcome the participation of additional organizations from the SkillsFORWARD state projects and broader ecosystem–both as new Members to the Velocity Network Foundation and as institutional and employer participants –to grow the impact of this important Healthcare initiative.

Read more about the initiative in our January 2025 report: Click here