Compared to a tertiary hospital, resources can be tight and clinical expertise narrowly concentrated in a scaled-down facility such as a microhospital. “In the acute care setting, in most cases, you presume you’re going to have a full-fledged medical staff and most of the ancillary support services to get you through whatever condition rolls in,” says John A. Gillean, MD, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at CHRISTUS Health. The microhospital’s “more limited scope” can leave staff scrambling to provide compliant care in unanticipated situations.

A surgical team in Argentina—comprised of a surgeon, an anesthesiologist, two surgical assistants, and a surgical nurse—has been suspended after taking photos mid-surgery and later posting them online. Photos posted on Lorena Olguin’s social media account show the team posing for pictures in surgical marks and gowns while surrounded by medical supplies covered in blood. One photo that has sparked outrage among the public in Argentina is a selfie of the team in the surgical theater.

Organizations need to be aware of whether their state requires specific disclosures (such as privacy agreements, the process for filing complaints, etc.) to be made in writing prior to a provider delivering patient care via telemedicine. Some organizations consider originating sites to be contracted providers governed by a telemedicine agreement in which the credentialing is delegated, and they are contracted with the other hospital to provide services via telemedicine. Others opt to add them as consulting members of the medical staff, rather than consider telemedicine a contracted service. Download this sample bylaws language for privileges in telemedicine.

We want to begin privileging APPs. How and with whom do we start the conversation?

Carol Cairns, CPMSM, CPCS: APPs practice in all kinds of clinical settings and provide a wide range of important medical services. That said, I have been to regions and individual facili- ties where APP practice authority is a highly controversial topic, but those places are in the minority.

Published 8/8/18

In 2014, the national government mandated the use of electronic health records (EHR) for all physicians and hospitals receiving Medicare reimbursement, and since then, physicians across the country have been struggling to adapt. Initially, the transition to EHRs appeared to be extremely advantageous; however, many physicians can more readily name the struggles they have with using EHRs than the benefits they receive.

Published 8/6/18

Although advances in technology have helped address the issue of retained surgical items, experts agree that communication and culture are key to reducing incidences.

The 2019 CRC Symposium Case Study Competition and the 2019 CRC Achievement Awards are two application-based contests that showcase excellence in the medical staff services and leadership fields. Winners, who will be selected by a panel of esteemed industry experts, will receive free admission to and recognition at the 2019 CRC Symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada.