• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

How to handle applicants with limited licenses

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, March 31, 2005

Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Credentialing Resource Center Connection!

Dear Credentialing Colleague:

Do your medical staff's credentialing policies require that practitioners maintain an unlimited license to practice medicine within your state, or do they require a current license which could be either limited or unlimited?

As state licensing boards become more proactive, many are now placing various limitations on the licenses of physicians who have been investigated for one or more reasons. The conditions of these limitations range from requiring continuing medical education, to limitations on the performance of certain surgical procedures. As a result of the increased activism demonstrated by these licensing boards, many medical staffs now find themselves processing applications from physicians with some form of limited or restricted license. If your medical staff bylaws require only the presence of a current license, the medical staff must determine whether or not a restriction or limitation will impact the granting of membership or clinical privileges. Medical staffs requiring that applicants possess a non-restricted or unlimited license to practice medicine can easily explain to restricted applicants that under current policies their application will not be processed.

There are excellent arguments on both sides of this issue. Many physicians contend that they would rather evaluate the restriction and/or limitation and make a recommendation to the board based on the totality of the physician's education, training, experience, and evidence of competence.

Others believe that the bar for appointment and privileging should be as high as possible, and suggest that any physician having a restriction or limitation on his or her license should work to clear that restriction prior to becoming eligible for appointment to the staff or receiving clinical privileges.

This issue is certainly worth discussing with your credentials committee. Having a policy for applicants with limited or restricted licenses can help avoid complications when processing applications.

That's it for this week.

All the best,

Hugh Greeley

Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Credentialing Resource Center Connection!

• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive