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Ask the expert: What policies should I have in place for clinical observers?

Medical Staff Leader Connection, April 8, 2009

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Clinical observers are a category of practitioners that organizations tend to overlook. It is common, especially in academic medical centers, for practitioners to observe or shadow a member of the medical staff. Organizations should have policies in place to govern that process.

The intent is to allow observers to follow a physician to gain clinical knowledge or to allow them to observe a surgical procedure. They are not requesting, and do not need, clinical privileges because they are not providing patient care.

The first step to implementing a clinical observation policy is for the credentials committee or applicable body to examine what qualifications it feels is reasonable to request of these practitioners. It may determine that certain requirements depend on the length of time the practitioner will be in the organization. For example, if your organization requires all of its staff members to complete hospital-specific orientations (e.g., safety codes, conduct policies, etc.), the credentials committee may deem that these requirements would be meaningful only if the practitioner is going to be observing for more than two weeks.

This weeks question and answer are adapted from The Essential Guide to Medical Staff Reappointment, Second Edition, by Anne Roberts, CPMSM, CPCS, now available at a discounted price.

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