Advancing excellence through professional credentialing

Professional credentialing plays a critical role in advancing clinician competence, patient safety, and health care quality. This article outlines the mission and vision of the Competency & Credentialing Institute (CCI) and introduces Excellence and Credentialing in Health Care as an independent, interdisciplinary journal dedicated to promoting lifelong professional development. By distinguishing credentialing from licensure and certificates and highlighting evidence linking certification to improved patient, workforce, and organizational outcomes, the article underscores credentialing as a catalyst for excellence across health care practice.