System and method for assembling and analyzing a candidate application for a credential

• US 8,973,115 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Nurses Credentialing Center (Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: American Nurses Credentialing Center (Press Ganey Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Drenkard, Karen Neil, Swartwout, Ellen, Horahan, Marianne, Robert, Nancy Jo, Paulson, David, Lundmark, Vicki Ann, Deyo, Patricia Rose, Ferguson, Stephanie Lida, Thompkins, Diane Lynn, Depascale, Christine
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYSZYNSKI, AUBREY H
• Application Number:
  US13/644,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20140101735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 726/6
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/105 Human resources

Abstract

An automated system and method for assembling and analyzing a candidate application to determine a type of credential in a professional credentialing area for the candidate is provided. The automated system may facilitate the receipt of application materials from various sources and may enable review and appraisal of the application by multiple parties. The application may be tailored to a specific type of requested credential.

Claims

1. A computing device for assembling and analyzing a candidate application to determine a type of credential in a professional credentialing area, comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising

an application registration module, when executed by the one or more processors, allows the candidate to apply for a first type of credential in a first professional credentialing area;

an eligibility determination module, when executed by the one or more processors, determines eligibility requirements for the application based on the first type of credential, facilitates access, for the candidate, to the eligibility requirements, and receives eligibility inputs based on the eligibility requirements of the application;

an evidence determination module, when executed by the one or more processors, determines evidentiary requirements for the application based on the first type of credential, facilitates access to the evidentiary requirements, and receives evidentiary inputs based on the evidentiary requirements of the application;

an evaluation module, when executed by the one or more processors, determines whether the application is ready for appraisal based on the eligibility inputs and the evidentiary inputs received;

an appraisal module, when executed by the one or more processors, provides, when the application is ready for appraisal, the first type of credential to the candidate based on at least a first appraisal of the eligibility inputs and evidentiary inputs received and a second appraisal of the eligibility inputs and evidentiary inputs received; and

a storage module, when executed by the one or more processors, stores one or more of the eligibility requirements, the evidentiary requirements, the eligibility inputs received, or the evidentiary inputs received.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the storage module, when executed by the one or more processors, stores the first type of credential and a second type of credential, the second type of credential being different than the first type of credential.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the storage module, when executed by the one or more processors, stores one or more levels of credentials, the one or more levels of credentials associated with one or more respective types of credentials, a first level of credential indicating a different level of expertise than a second level of credential, and wherein the application registration module, when executed by the one or more processors, facilitates access, for the candidate, to the one or more levels of credentials and the one or more respective types of credentials.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the evidence determination module, when executed by the one or more processors facilitates access, for a recommender invited by the user, to one of the one or more evidentiary requirements.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the evidence determination module, when executed by the one or more processors, receives from the recommender, one or more inputs relating to the candidate in response to one of the one or more evidentiary requirements.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the evidence determination module, when executed by the one or more processors, facilitates access, for the candidate, to the one or more inputs of the recommender.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the appraisal module, when executed by the one or more processors, facilitates access, for the candidate, to the first appraisal and the second appraisal.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first appraisal comprises an indication whether the candidate should receive the first type of credential.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the appraisal module, when executed by the one or more processors, receives the first appraisal from a first appraiser, and receives the second appraisal from a second appraiser.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first appraiser is chosen based on one or more of a credential of the first appraiser, appraisal statistics relating to the first appraiser, expertise of the first appraiser, or availability of the first appraiser.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the first appraiser is chosen randomly from a set of one or more appraisers.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the evaluation module, when executed by the one or more processors, prepares one or more eligibility input scores based on the eligibility inputs received, prepares one or more evidentiary input scores based on the evidentiary inputs received, and

determines, based on the eligibility input scores and the evidentiary input scores, whether the application is ready for appraisal.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a validation module, when executed by the one or more processors, generates statistics based on the first appraisal and the second appraisal.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising a validation module, when executed by the one or more processors, generates statistical validation of one or more of the one or more eligibility requirements, the one or more evidentiary requirements, the first appraisal, or the second appraisal.

15. A method for assembling and analyzing a candidate application to determine a type of credential in a professional credentialing area, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

receiving, from a candidate, an application for a first type of credential in a first professional credentialing area;

determining, by an eligibility determination module, eligibility requirements for the application based on the type of credential;

facilitating, by the eligibility determination module, access, for the candidate, to the eligibility requirements;

receiving, by the eligibility determination module, eligibility inputs based on the eligibility requirements of the application;

determining, by an evidence determination module, evidentiary requirements for the application based on the type of credential;

facilitating, by the evidence determination module, access to the evidentiary requirements;

receiving, by the evidence determination module, evidentiary inputs based on the evidentiary requirements of the application;

determining, by an evaluation module, whether the application is ready for appraisal based on the eligibility inputs and the evidentiary inputs received;

storing, at a storage module, one or more of the eligibility requirements, the evidentiary requirements, the eligibility inputs received, or the evidentiary inputs received; and

when the application is ready for appraisal, providing, by an appraisal module, the first type of credential to the candidate based on at least a first appraisal of the eligibility inputs and evidentiary inputs received and a second appraisal of the eligibility inputs and evidentiary inputs received.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing, by the storage module, the first type of credential and a second type of credential, the second type of credential being different than the first type of credential.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing, by the storage module, one or more levels of credentials, the one or more levels of credentials associated with one or more respective types of credentials, a first level of credential indicating a different level of expertise than a second level of credential; and

facilitating, by the application registration module, access, for the candidate, to the one or more levels of credentials and the one or more respective types of credentials.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

facilitating, by the evidence determination module, access, for a recommender invited by the user, to one of the evidentiary requirements.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, by the evidence determination module, one or more inputs from the recommender relating to the candidate in response to one of the evidentiary requirements.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

facilitating, by the evidence determination module, access, for the candidate, to the one or more inputs of the recommender.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

facilitating, by the appraisal module, access, for the candidate, to the first appraisal and the second appraisal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first appraisal comprises an indication whether the candidate should receive the first type of credential.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving, by the appraisal module, the first appraisal from a first appraiser; and

receiving, by the appraisal module, the second appraisal from a second appraiser.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

choosing, by the appraisal module, the first appraiser based on one or more of a credential of the first appraiser, appraisal statistics relating to the first appraiser, expertise of the first appraiser, or availability of the first appraiser.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

choosing, by the appraisal module, the first appraiser randomly from a set of one or more appraisers.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

preparing, by the evaluation module, one or more eligibility input scores based on the eligibility inputs received;

preparing, by the evaluation module, one or more evidentiary input scores based on the evidentiary inputs received;

determining, by the evaluation module, based on the one or more eligibility input scores and the one or more evidentiary input scores, whether the application is ready for appraisal.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating, by a validation module, statistics based on the first appraisal and the second appraisal.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating, by a validation module, statistical validation of one or more of the one or more eligibility requirements, the one or more evidentiary requirements, the first appraisal, or the second appraisal.

29. A system for assembling and analyzing a candidate application to determine a type of credential in a professional credentialing area, comprising:

a computing device comprising one or more processors configured to

register, at a database, a plurality of users and store information related to the plurality of users in the database,

identify a user as a candidate,

receive, from the candidate, an application registration for a first type of credential in a first professional credentialing area,

facilitate access, for the candidate, to an application comprising one or more eligibility requirements based on the first type of credential and one or more evidentiary requirements based on the first type of credential,

receive, from the candidate, one or more eligibility inputs for the application, the one or more eligibility inputs corresponding to the one or more eligibility requirements,

receive one or more evidentiary inputs for the application, the one or more evidentiary inputs corresponding to the one or more evidentiary requirements,

determine, based on the one or more eligibility inputs and the one or more evidentiary inputs, whether the application is ready for appraisal,

when the application is ready for appraisal, facilitate access, for at least a first appraiser and a second appraiser, to the one or more eligibility requirements, the one or more evidentiary requirements, the one or more eligibility inputs and the one or more evidentiary inputs for the candidate,

receive, from the first appraiser and the second appraiser, at least a first appraisal and a second appraisal, and

based on the first appraisal and the second appraisal, provide the first type of credential to the candidate.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to store, at the database, the first type of credential and a second type of credential, the second type of credential being different than the first type of credential.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to store, at the database, one or more levels of credentials, the one or more levels of credentials associated with one or more respective types of credentials, a first level of credential indicating a different level of expertise than a second level of credential, and facilitate access, for the candidate, to the one or more levels of credentials and the one or more respective types of credentials.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to facilitate access, for a recommender invited by the user, to one of the one or more evidentiary requirements.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, from the recommender, one or more inputs relating to the candidate in response to one of the one or more evidentiary requirements.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to facilitate access, for the candidate, to the one or more inputs of the recommender.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to facilitate access, for the candidate, to the first appraisal and the second appraisal.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the first appraisal comprises an indication whether the candidate should receive the first type of credential.

37. A method for assembling and analyzing a candidate application to determine a type of credential in a professional credentialing area, the method being implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute computer program modules, the method comprising:

registering, at a database, a plurality of users and storing information related to the plurality of users in the database;

identifying a user as a candidate;

receiving, from the candidate, an application registration for a first type of credential;

facilitating access, for the candidate, to one or more eligibility requirements based on the first type of credential and one or more evidentiary requirements based on the first type of credential;

receiving, from the candidate, one or more eligibility inputs for the application, the one or more eligibility inputs corresponding to the one or more eligibility requirements;

receiving one or more evidentiary inputs for the application, the one or more evidentiary inputs corresponding to the one or more evidentiary requirements;

determining, based on the one or more eligibility inputs and the one or more evidentiary inputs, whether the application is ready for appraisal;

when the application is ready for appraisal, facilitating access, for at least a first appraiser and a second appraiser, to the one or more eligibility requirements, the one or more evidentiary requirements, the one or more eligibility inputs and the one or more evidentiary inputs for the candidate;

receiving, from the first appraiser and the second appraiser, at least a first appraisal and a second appraisal; and

based on the first appraisal and the second appraisal, providing the first type of credential to the candidate.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

storing, at the database, the first type of credential and a second type of credential, the second type of credential being different than the first type of credential.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

storing, at the database, one or more levels of credentials, the one or more levels of credentials associated with one or more respective types of credentials, a first level of credential indicating a different level of expertise than a second level of credential; and

facilitating access, for the candidate, to the one or more levels of credentials and the one or more respective types of credentials.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

facilitating access, for a recommender invited by the user, to one of the one or more evidentiary requirements

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

receiving, from the recommender, one or more inputs relating to the candidate in response to one of the one or more evidentiary requirements.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

facilitating access, for the candidate, to the one or more inputs of the recommender.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

facilitating access, for the candidate, to the first appraisal and the second appraisal.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein the first appraisal comprises an indication whether the candidate should receive the first type of credential.