The Kentucky Supreme Court (the “Court”) recently reversed a Court of Appeals ruling that would have allowed patients to sue hospitals for negligent credentialing of non-employee physicians who are given staff privileges. The Court’s decision strikes down negligent credentialing as a separate and new cause of action against hospitals in Kentucky.

Between 2010 and 2016, the wage gap between male and female physicians in New York has more than doubled, despite the growing number of women entering the profession. According to research done by the University of Albany, male physicians went from earning $11,931 more than their female counterparts in 2010 to $26,367 in 2016.

If a practitioner loses privileges or membership because the hospital offers an exclusive contract to another practitioner or specialty group, most institutions will not offer a fair hearing, and the action is not reported to the NPDB. Most hospitals have one or more exclusive contracts with members of the medical staff to ensure round-the-clock coverage for a particular service. Most institutions do not want to waste resources on fair hearings when they exclude physicians to comply with an exclusive contract.

In recent years, it has become common for patients to sue a hospital for negligent peer review when they bring a malpractice action against a physician. Their claim generally is that inadequate medical staff monitoring of an incompetent physician allowed a bad outcome in their care. These are referred to as corporate negligent suits, because the argument is that a properly run hospital would not have admitted or retained an incompetent practitioner on its medical staff.

There is a declining trend in the number of family medicine (FM) physicians receiving obstetrics privileges nowadays. These providers were once responsible for the family in every aspect of its development—from a child’s conception to adulthood. Now they are more of a means to an end, a first stop for patients who want to be referred to a specialist. Are these changes the result of progress and improved specialization—a form of natural selection in the medical industry—or is personalized family care taking a backseat in favor of modern efficiency?

All hospitals have some kind of peer review system in place, yet physicians and support staff often receive little training on how to conduct peer review well. Conducting peer review fairly and efficiently requires critical steps be taken by peer review coordinators, physician reviewers, the peer review committee, and department chairs. By supporting these players in the peer review process, organizations can ensure they exceed the regulatory requirements regarding peer review and focus on physician performance excellence.

The Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division (the “Court”) recently affirmed a trial court’s finding that a hospital was not only within its rights to, but was required to report a physician’s resignation while she was under review to the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners (the “Board”).

The Credentialing Resource Center (CRC) team would like to thank everyone who made the 2018 CRC Symposium a resounding success. Access our photo gallery featuring snapshots from educational sessions captured during the two-day training extravaganza in Las Vegas. 

Writing books/columns and speaking on webinars and at seminars are great ways to share your industry knowledge with peers. With the guidance of a solid publishing company, you’ll see your thoughts and tips become beacons to others in your field. We’re always looking for new authors, speakers, and reviewers. For more than 20 years, HCPro has been a leading provider of integrated healthcare information, education, training, and consulting products. Among HCPro’s need-to-know information products are a vast array of books, newsletters, websites, annual webinars, and annual live events.

Check out (and contribute to) the latest conversations on topics ranging from certification to sharing OPPE information.

Ensure your practitioner workforce is meticulously vetted, completely compliant, and fully capable of delivering consistent, high-quality care with PROPELMedical Staff, a comprehensive training solution and problem-solving community for credentialing and medical staff professionals, quality specialists, and medical staff leaders. Designed for professionals in many different roles and environments dedicated to medical staff governance, credentialing, privileging, and practitioner competence evaluation, PROPELMedical Staff will empower your team to be its best. Take a look at some of the solutions PROPELMedical Staff includes:

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• An annual members-only analysis call covering the most significant industry updates and strategic priorities
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For more information, click here.