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Ask the expert: Does probation involve restricting physician's privileges?

Medical Staff Leader Connection, March 18, 2009

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Corrective action terms that are often confusing include (in order of severity):

A warning is a formal written advisement to inform an individual that he or she has engaged in an unsafe practice or behavior. It sometimes contains potential consequences for failing to comply with practice standards.

A reprimand is a more severe and formal written reproof. The medical staff typically reprimands a physician after a single egregious incident or if it discovers that the physician has fallen into a pattern of unsafe practices or behaviors.

A sanction is a specific penalty imposed, up to and including a temporary loss of membership or privileges, when a physician has significantly deviated from safe practices or professional conduct.

A probation is restriction imposed, up to and including a loss of membership or privileges, for a specific period of time in lieu of an even more strict penalty, such as a permanent revocation of a physician’s membership, privileges, and/or license.

Note that warnings, reprimands, and sanctions do not typically trigger a physician’s due process rights. However, a sanction or probation that results in a loss of some aspect of a practitioner's membership or privileges for more than 14 days does.

All the best,

Jonathan Burroughs, MD, MBA, CMSL
Senior consultant
The Greeley Company

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