Digital Transformation in Credentialing Process: Development of E-Credential Application for Nurses and Midwives at Vertical Hospital

Background: Credentialing nurses and midwives is essential to ensure professional competence and patient safety. However, conventional manual processes are often inefficient and administratively burdensome. Digital transformation offers an opportunity to streamline credentialing through electronic systems.Objective: The authors evaluated the usability and user satisfaction of an electronic credential (e-credential) application implemented for nurses and midwives at a vertical hospital in Indonesia.Methods: A quantitative descriptive study was conducted with 166 nurses and midwives who completed the credentialing process following competency-level upgrades across nine clinical peer groups. System usability and user satisfaction were assessed using the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze item-level and domain-level scores. Brief interviews and open-ended questions were conducted to clarify users' experiences and identify needs for technical improvements.Results: The e-credential application demonstrated good usability and high user satisfaction. The overall mean PSSUQ score was 1.87 ± 0.58, indicating favorable user perceptions. Mean scores for the System Usefulness, Information Quality, and Interface Quality domains were 1.83 ± 0.55, 1.90 ± 0.62, and 1.86 ± 0.59, respectively. Users perceived the system as easy to learn, efficient, and supportive of credentialing tasks, with reduced administrative workload through paperless document management. Supplementary feedback highlighted the need for expanded access outside the hospital network and improvements to the document revision feature.Conclusion: The e-credential application demonstrated strong usability and was well received by nurses and midwives, supporting a more efficient, structured credentialing process. Further system refinement and broader implementation may enhance the flexibility and sustainability of digital credentialing in hospital settings.