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.

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”).

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.

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?

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.

Did you know that Basic, Platinum, and Platinum Plus members of the Credentialing Resource Center (CRC) have all-inclusive access to the CRC Forums, a modern platform for swapping field-tested tips, tools, and lessons learned on a range of hot industry topics? This new and improved version of Medical Staff Talk—CRC’s legacy email list serv—features direct, members-only access through the CRC site; a sleek design that speeds navigation and encourages in-depth discussion; eight timely content categories that promote productive exchanges and targeted searches; and customizable options for learning about new posts.

Check out some of the latest discussions:

• Certification
• Physicians and unattached call for needed specialties
• Family medicine requesting GI endoscopy privileges
• Drug screening for medical staff
• Job Description - Medical Staff Services Director
• Sharing OPPE information with Quality

Have something else on your mind? Click here to get the conversation started.

Where should we hold the 2019 CRC Symposium? Answer our new poll question and let us know. You must be signed in with your free or paid CRC account to participate.

Did you miss our highlights from the 2018 CRC Symposium? You can check them out here.

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:

• A dynamic training road map featuring online needs assessments, conversations with the PROPEL team, and an evolving customized service plan
• Tools and guidance for groups struggling with longstanding industry challenges like OPPE, FPPE, and peer review
• Semiannual problem-solving discussion calls featuring an hour of targeted advice, coaching, or education
• An annual members-only analysis call covering the most significant industry updates and strategic priorities
• Teamwide Credentialing Resource Center (CRC) Platinum Plus subscriptions, which provide unlimited access to the award-winning online community’s extensive guidance, tools, and best-practice strategies

For more information, click here.