Medical staff governing documents must articulate the standards that practitioners must meet to qualify for medical staff membership or privileges. In general, the list of qualifications will address the applicant’s background, experience, ability to perform requested privileges, training, and demonstrated current competence; adherence to professional ethics; reputation; and any other factors appropriate to the effective operation of the hospital. Here is sample bylaws language your organization can use to set the standards for qualifying for medical staff membership or privileges.

Also, physician sentenced for taking blood-lab bribes; task force floats amendments to the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute. Find out what’s happening in the world of federal healthcare regulations by reviewing some recent headlines from across the country.

Our topic for this column is one that is not often written about or focused on by various regulatory bodies. No one would argue that hospitals do not have their fair share of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Hospitals regularly schedule ongoing reviews of medical staff bylaws, medical staff rules and regulations, and policies and procedures; they subsequently submit such documents for governing body approval.

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Have you had advanced practice professionals (APP) expand their scope of practice without the authority to do so?

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