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Credentialing Resource Center Connection

National credentialing and privileging expert Sally J. Pelletier, CPCS, CPMSM, delivers useful and timely information in her weekly " Credentialing Resource Center Connection" column.

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Credentialing Resource Center Connection

Issue 51, December 26, 2007

• The "training up" of advance practice professionals

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Program trains Latin American graduates for U.S. medical licenses

  A new program is training graduates of Latin American medical schools to become U.S. practitioners...

• Tip of the week: Update privileging forms for AHPs

  Update all privileging forms for AHP disciplines to:

• Ask the expert: Is there any mention of privileging in the NCQA's managed care organization standards?

  Only briefly-NCQA does require that the applicant include a dated attestation statement from the...

Issue 50, December 20, 2007

• Annual Review of Credentialing Documents

  Anne Roberts, CPMSM, CPCS, is the director of medical affairs at Children's Medical Center in...

• State advises medical tests for former physician's patients

  The New York Department of Health said that a pain management physician contaminated medical vials...

• Tip of the week: Define in advance the protocol for compensating external proctors

  Assigning responsibility for compensating an outside proctor usually becomes a matter of...

• Ask the expert: What are The Joint Commission requirements for verifying work history?

  Although The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) does not use the term "work history," it does...

Issue 49, December 13, 2007

• What's in a name?

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• FCC gives $417 million to rural health centers

  The Federal Communications Commission announced that it will spend $417 million dollars in grants...

• Tip of the week: Avoid reappointment pitfalls

  MSPs should avoid the following reappointment pitfalls to help shield their hospitals from...

Issue 48, December 6, 2007

• Telemedicine requirements

  Anne Roberts, CPMSM, CPCS, is the director of medical affairs at Children's Medical Center in...

• Hospital performs third wrong-site surgery this year

  The Rhode Island Department of Health reprimanded Rhode Island Hospital and fined it $50,000 after...

• Tip of the week: Know how your state treats AHPs

  One important area in healthcare undergoing change is states' individual treatment of AHPs. As...

• Ask the expert: Which office should be responsible for verifying the credentials of vendors in the OR-the medical staff office or human resources?

  The reason for credentialing vendor representatives who are going to participate in OR activities...

• Ask the expert: Are there Joint Commission requirements about MEC meeting frequency?

  No. The Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) does not have any specific requirements for medical...

Issue 47, November 29, 2007

• Are you crawling fast enough?

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• 1.3 million more Medicare patients than last year

  The number of people enrolled in Medicare managed care plans increased by approximately 1.3 million...

• Tip of the week: Stay linked with MSPs across the country

  Did you know that the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) Web site has links to...

• Ask the expert: Where is the originating site in a telemedicine procedure?

  The originating site is the place where the patient is located. The distant site is the place where...

Issue 46, November 15, 2007

• Veterans Affairs to review credentials of 17,000 healthcare providers

  The Department of Veterans Affairs will review the credentials of 17,000 healthcare providers...

• Tip of the Week: Avoid information and decision errors during the credentialing process

  Medical staff offices should regularly audit themselves to avoid the two most common types of...

Issue 45, November 8, 2007

• Ethics for the MSP

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Congress moves to improve healthcare information technology

  The House Science and Technology Committee voted on October 24 to approve a bill that requires the...

• National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week - A time to celebrate and a time to appreciate

  National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week is the one time each year when I reflect on how I...

• Ask the expert: Can I develop a single FPPE policy for the entire medical staff?

  Avoid a "one-size-fits-all" mentality when structuring your organization's approach to FPPE...

Issue 44, November 1, 2007

• In honor of National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week, save 20%

  November 4-10, 2007 is National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week! To celebrate MSPs, and all...

• Physicians selling prescriptions on the rise, research suggests

  The percentage of physicians selling prescription medications to their patients could grow to 25...

• Tip of the week: NAMSS president-elect celebrates National Medical Staff Services Awareness Week

  In 1992, President George Bush issued a proclamation designating the first week of November as...

• Ask the expert: What is the difference between disruptive and impaired practitioners?

  Although the issues of disruptive behavior and impaired practitioners can often cross paths, they...

Issue 43, October 25, 2007

• Revisions to The Joint Commission Standard MS.1.20

  Anne Roberts, CPMSM, CPCS, is the director of medical affairs at Children's Medical Center in...

• NCCPA eliminates paper certifications

  The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is eliminating paper...

• Tip of the week: Double check verifications for accuracy

  Even though the AMA is considered an acceptable primary source verification of an applicant's...

• Ask the expert: Which states have ruled on negligent credentialing claims?

  Courts in at least 28 states have addressed negligent credentialing claims. Here is a breakdown of...

Issue 42, October 18, 2007

• Familiarize yourself with the Health Care Quality Improvement Act

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Florida mirrors national trend of hospitals hiring more physicians

  Older physicians were more likely to go into private practice after completing their education, but...

• Tip of the Week: Send us your tips!

  Calling all readers: What's your number one credentialing and privileging trade secret? What...

• Ask the Expert: How long must a credentials file be kept and what should it contain?

  There are a number of issues you must consider before destroying any credentials files or contents...

Issue 41, October 11, 2007

• Minnesota court rules hospitals can be sued for negligent credentialing

  The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that hospitals can be sued for negligent credentialing, making it...

• Tip of the week: Making staffing analysis results beneficial for your medical staff office

  Speakers Lynn Buchanan, CPMSM, CPCS and Cris Mobley, CPMSM, CPCS used their 2007 National...

• Credentialing for Graduate Medical Education

  Anne Roberts, CPMSM, CPCS, is the director of medical affairs at Children's Medical Center in...

• Ask the expert: Can a practitioner be enrolled in the Practitioner Disclosure Service (PDS) at applicant status?

  Yes. The medical staff office can enroll its practitioners in the PDS even if they are still going...

Issue 40, October 4, 2007

• The ingredients of privileging

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• NAMSS conference lights up Times Square

  MSPs from across the country converged in New York City earlier this week for the National...

• Tip of the week: Gain consistency with core privileges

  One of the primary advantages to a core privileging system is its consistency. All physicians in a...

• Ask the Expert: Who qualifies for "precautionary suspensions?"

  Many hospitals have adopted the language "precautionary suspension" to better reflect the nature of...

Issue 39, September 20, 2007

• Ask the expert: Does the NCQA allow provisional credentialing for initial appointments at acute care facilities?

  Provisional credentialing is permitted, for those practitioners who are applying to the...

• Implementing an effective FPPE process

  Anne Roberts, CPMSM, CPCS, is the director of medical affairs at Children's Medical Center in...

• Tip of the week: Six steps to developing an economic credentialing policy

  Economic credentialing policies are not off-the-shelf products. Hospitals and their medical staffs...

• Ask the expert: How should APRNs and PAs be privileged?

  The 2007 medical staff standards overview states: PAs and APRNs who are not licensed independent...

• Minnesota court permits negative credentialing claims

  The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that the state's common law should allow claims of negligent...

Issue 38, September 20, 2007

• The benefits of core privileging

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Court rules credentialing information "wholly irrelevant" in lawsuit

  The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that a physician's credentialing...

• Tip of the week: AHP reappraisal should be similar to medical staff reappointment

  The reappraisal process for independent AHPs should be similar to that used for physicians...

Issue 37, September 13, 2007

• How much information should your organization share?

  Anne Roberts, CPMSM, CPCS, is the director of medical affairs at Children's Medical Center in...

• The Joint Commission revises guidelines for medical staff complaint

  Physicians and members of the medical staff can now voice their concerns about a hospital's safety...

• Tip of the week: CVOs can benefit MSPs and the medical staff

  Although a CVO might be more efficient because it devotes its time exclusively to primary source...

• Ask the Expert: Why should I search the OIG Web site?

  The Office of Inspector General (OIG) maintains a Web site that includes a database of individuals...

Issue 36, September 6, 2007

• Fulfilling your potential as a medical staff professional

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Court rules disabled physician can sue hospital for denying privileges

  A disabled physician is allowed to sue the hospital he claimed discriminated against him by denying...

• Tip of the week: A third category of AHPs

  Aside from advanced practice professionals and clinical assistants, it is also important to...

• Ask the expert: What should I include in the job description for physician leaders?

  Simply stated, physician leaders should know to whom they are accountable and for what. This is not...

Issue 35, August 30, 2007

• Documentation of continuing medical education

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Hospital hires fake nurse

  An Oklahoma woman worked as a nurse for several days before hospital officials realized that she...

• Tip of the week: Primary and secondary source verifications

  The following is a list of some of the application items which require source (or issuer...

• Ask the expert: Suspending sponsored AHPs, part II

  Last week's "Ask the expert" (What should my bylaws include about suspending sponsored allied...

Issue 34, August 23, 2007

• Privileging outside physicians

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Audit finds insufficient credentialing practices

  Washington state's audit of their Health Professions Quality Assurance (HPQA) office found that...

• Tip of the week: Develop an approach to address aging physicians

  In addressing privileges, medical staffs are obliged to assess each practitioner's capacity to...

• Ask the expert: What should my bylaws include about suspending sponsored AHPs?

  The following is sample bylaw language concerning the automatic suspension of sponsored allied...

Issue 33, August 16, 2007

• Proctoring conundrums: How to credential an OR observer

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Vermont calls for electronic-only health records

  In a move that mirrors a federal plan, Vermont's government is working to mandate the use of...

• Tip of the week: Not every new technology needs to be added to your core privileging system

  Not every new technology or service is appropriate to every facility, and in fact, it may be best...

• Ask the Expert: Would a hospital's requirement that a physician meet a minimum number of procedures in order demonstrate competence hold up in court?

  Actually, The Joint Commission's standards and nearly all specialty societies recommend that...

Issue 32, August 9, 2007

• How to make your initial application user-friendly

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Large scale medical fraud ring uncovered

  Puerto Rican authorities have uncovered a large-scale fraud operation that used bribery and...

• Tip of the week: Use job descriptions to define scope of practice

  In situations where allied health practitioners (AHP) are employed by the organization as dependent...

• Ask the expert: What information needs to be evaluated before granting privileges?

  For hospitals, The Joint Commission standards are clear regarding what type of information the...

Issue 31, August 2, 2007

• Perfecting your background check policy

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• MA medical board revokes license of three physicians

  Massachusetts' Board of Registration in Medicine recently took action against three physicians for...

• Tip of the week: Audits should be proactive rather than reactive

  Rather than taking a reactionary approach to medical staff office issues that arise, healthcare...

• Ask the expert: What's the downside to individually implementing core privileges?

  If a hospital chooses to implement core privileges on a physician-specific basis, some physicians...

Issue 30, July 26, 2007

• What does the term locum tenens mean in your office?

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Synchronizing security across Wisconsin hospitals

  Medical staff offices already conduct background checks of applicants and outline their disaster...

• Tip of the Week: Verify malpractice insurance

  Although primary source verification of malpractice insurance is not required by The Joint...

• Ask the expert: What is a J-1 visa waiver?

  A J-1 visa waiver, granted for three to five years, is given to foreign doctors who practice in...

Issue 28, July 19, 2007

• The MSO's partnership with the quality department

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Doctor uses robot stand in

  First went the house calls, then went the late-night, bedside visits. One Baltimore-based physician...

• Tip of the Week: Don’t be fooled by AHP credentialing myths

  Eliminate excess credentialing by keeping the following myths out of your office:

• Ask the expert: Are you required to verify malpractice coverage?

  Primary source verification is not required by The Joint Commission. However, if the medical staff...

Issue 27, July 12, 2007

• Step-by-step credentialing

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Influx of doctors creates logjam for Texas Medical Board

  The Texas Medical Board is experiencing processing delays for new licenses because of a dramatic...

• Tip of the week: Don't use reappointment to play "gotcha"

  Performance data should not be a surprise to a physician when it comes time for his or her...

• Ask the Expert: Is there a simple way to verify malpractice insurance history?

  Yes and no. For coverage history you can only contact the carrier(s) individually. However, for...

Issue 26, July 5, 2007

• Credentialing committee composition

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Tip of the week: Maintain high professional and ethical standards

  The credentialing and privileging processes can be lengthy and frustrating for both the applicant...

• ASHHRA issues disaster planning guide

  The American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration issued a guide to help human...

• Ask the expert

  Proctoring results should be treated in the same manner as other peer review findings:

Issue 25, June 28, 2007

• Welcoming innovation in the MSO

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Welcoming innovation in the MSO

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Welcoming innovation in the MSO

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Web site posts physicians' quality measurements

  A Massachusetts agency has posted a public report on its Web site detailing the clinical quality...

• Tip of the week: Double-check your NPI's for accuracy

  Are the National Provider Identifiers (NPI) numbers for the physicians on your medical staff...

• Ask the expert: Do all credentialing verification requests require a written con

  No. The following are guidelines you might wish to consider as part of a medical staff...

Issue 24, June 21, 2007

• Simulation and the MSP

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Physician allegedly forged credentials

  A grand jury in Pennsylvania has charged a suburban Philadelphia physician with more than 800...

• Ask the expert: Are all e-mails containing confidential information protected?

  The short answer is no. In general, regular e-mails about business or any other topic-if sent or...

• Tip of the week: Standardize verification methods for credentialing audits

  Does your organization conduct audits to assess the accuracy and efficiency of the credentialing...

• Tip of the week: Standardize verification methods for credentialing audits

  Does your organization conduct audits to assess the accuracy and efficiency of the credentialing...

Issue 23, June 14, 2007

• Developing a policy for professional reference questionnaires

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• New California law will affect reporting

  Effective July 1, 2007 in California, Health & Safety Code section 1279.1 will require hospitals to...

• Tip of the week: Check out the NPDB's proactive disclosure system prototype

  The National Practitioner Data Bank's (NPDB) new Proactive Disclosure System (PDS) prototype is...

• Ask the expert: How long does a hospital have to report an incident to the NPDB?

  According to the National Practitioner Data Bank's (NPDB) fact sheet, a hospital or other...

Issue 22, June 7, 2007

• Inside: Quality physicians

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• North Carolina utilizes database for disaster volunteers

  In the event of a disaster, it is critical for your organization to have a process for identifying...

• Ask the expert: What are the pros and cons of various primary source...

  Medical staff professionals (MSPs) use various modes of communication-including telephone, fax...

• Tip of the week: Consider developing a technology assessment committee

  A few weeks ago, we gave you five helpful questions to ask when assessing new technology or...

Issue 21, May 31, 2007

• Managing expirables

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• CMS releases details about NPI dissemination plan

  By now, you are likely familiar with CMS' new National Provider Identifier (NPI) plan, which...

• Tip of the Week: New AHRQ Web tool offers sample report cards

  Comparative data play important roles in the medical staff office (MSO), ranging from conducting...

• Ask the Expert: Is a review of an applicant's work history required by...?

  While The Joint Commission does not specifically use the term "work history," it does require...

Issue 20, May 24, 2007

• Differentiating membership and privileging

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• NAMSS recommends change to NPDB reports

  The National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS) recommended this month that Healthcare...

• Tip of the week: Establish a policy for resident rotations

  Your organization should have a policy that addresses the requirements of residents who are invited...

• Ask the expert: What should we consider when adding new technologies?

  As robotics are becoming more common in operating rooms around the world, it is important to...

Issue 19, May 17, 2007

• Documentation of continuing medical education

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• "Phony physician" exposes potential weaknesses

  Despite the increased scrutiny that physicians around the globe face these days-particularly when...

• Ask the expert: If privileges are denied, must it be reported to the NPDB?

  When your credentials committee recommends unfavorably for some or all of a practitioner's...

• Tip of the week: Ask the right questions of applicants

  When your credentials committee is conducting a clinical interview of a practitioner requesting...

Issue 18, May 3, 2007

• Reappointment processes for

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• A renewed focus on hospital bylaws

  The relationship between physicians and the hospitals they work in is constantly changing and, in...

• Tip of the week: Use clear language in your credentialing policy

  Does your credentialing policy require applicants to report any felony convictions, and does it...

• Ask the expert: What should be considered in an application request procedure?

  An application request procedure is a policy that outlines how prospective practitioners can obtain...

• Reviewing claims history at reappointment

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• New bill may toughen advertising practices

  The American Medical Association (AMA) is supporting a new bill introduced to the House of...

• Ask the Expert: What information should the MSO request at reappointment?

  At least 60 days prior to the expiration of a practitioner's medical staff appointment, your...

• Tip of the week: Gather information from outside sources at reappointment

  While the burden of providing adequate information in a timely fashion is the responsibility of the...

Issue 17, April 26, 2007

• Survey: Healthcare employers say retaining employees is harder than last year

  About one-third of healthcare employers (34%) say it’s harder to retain employees this year...

• Be prepared when disaster strikes

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Ask the expert: What data should an annual credentialing report contain?

  Annual credentialing reports should summarize information about the credentialing process and...

• Tip of the week: Use a policy to establish your credentials committee

  The credentials committee is responsible for reviewing each complete application and making...

Issue 16, April 19, 2007

• In the dark about exclusive contracts

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Lawsuit highlights legal implications of credentialing and privileging

  A lawsuit against St. Francis Medical Center in Breckenridge, MN has made it all the way to the...

• Tip of the Week: Three key steps to verification during reappointment

  In the past, once a physician was granted privileges at a hospital, they never had to go through...

• Ask the Expert: What are some common pitfalls during reappointment?

  Avoiding common pitfalls is one of the most important things you can do to shield your hospital...

Issue 15, April 12, 2007

• Great communication is the key to successful processes

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Physician claiming disability must present credentialing file

  A federal court in Ohio has denied a physician's request for a protective order that would bar the...

• Tip of the Week: Running an effective meeting

  Communication is of paramount importance in any medical staff office, and meetings are just one of...

• Ask the Expert: What are some key verification-related Web sites?

  The following are just a sampling of the sites that medical staff professionals (MSPs) told CRC are...

Issue 14, April 5, 2007

• Tried and true practices for identity verification

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Oncology demand may outpace practitioners

  The number of oncologists in the workforce is likely to be outpaced by the growing demands of an...

• Tip of the Week: Reappointing low-volume practitioners

  When a practitioner in your hospital no longer engages in significant clinical activity, the...

• Ask the Expert: Does incompetence correlate to low-volume?

  It is a myth that there is a direct correlation between incompetence and low- or no-volume...

Issue 13, March 29, 2007

• Reviewing physician's opinion evidence in ERISA case

  A federal court in Alabama affirmed a lower court's grant of summary judgment to an employer...

• NAMSS reaches out on the issue of board certification

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Tip of the Week: Avoiding credentialing and privileging non-compliance

  When The Joint Commission surveyors swing through on their next unannounced visit, be ready to...

• Ask the Expert: How do we select the right members for the MEC?

  The medical executive committee (MEC) is the only medical staff committee mandated by The Joint...

Issue 12, March 22, 2007

• Strengthening verification in the age of identity theft

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Arkansas lawsuit highlights the legal risks of credentialing

  Most medical staff offices are aware of the potential legal risks involved with credentialing, but...

• Tip of the Week: Watch out for red flags

  There are a number of red flags to watch for when it comes to credentialing a new member of your...

• Ask the Expert: What is the difference between...

  While some people may use these terms interchangeably, they actually have distinct meanings-and...

Issue 11, March 15, 2007

• Putting privileging information in the right hands

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Maryland MD resigns after heart stents found to be unnecessary

  Cardiologist John R. McLean, MD, resigned his medical staff privileges at a Salisbury, MD, hospital...

• Tip of the Week: Granting, renewing, and revising privileges

  The Joint Commission requires that certain criteria are evaluated before a hospital can grant...

• Ask the Expert: What additional criteria, beyond that required for ...

  The process for credentialing and privileging should be clearly outlined in the medical staff...

Issue 10, March 8, 2007

• In the News: AMA, AARP work together to better physician-patient relationships

  The American Medical Association (AMA) and AARP have teamed up to guide for improving the...

• Ask the Expert: Who chooses the external peer review expert...?

  If the hospital is considering an external peer review, it should share that information with the...

• Tip of the Week: Demand specificity from external peer reviewer

  Often, external peer reviewers are concerned that they might be targets of a lawsuit if they are...

• When restriction of privileges does not invoke a fair hearing

  Sally J. Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, is a consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro...

• Editor's Pick: Tips for the MSP: Effective meeting management

  Although MSPs may consider tasks such as credentialing and privileging to be more crucial to their...

Issue 9, March 1, 2007

• Recommended bylaw language for conflict resolution

  Few medical staff bylaws address the process for resolving disagreements between the medical...

• What are the consequences of harboring incomplete medical records?

  Medical record completion is not a new problem for hospitals. For decades, medical staffs often...

• Watch out for credentialing red herrings

  Establishing clear and consistent criteria for both membership and privileges is inherent in...

Issue 8, February 22, 2007

• Debunking myths (also known as untruths) about privileging

  If we can't see exposed ground due to the lovely mounds of snow we received recently here in New...

• US nurses rise in number, age

  According to a report from the American Hospital Association (AHA), US nurses are growing in...

• Where to find information about continuing medical education requirements?

  The final section of The Joint Commission's Medical Staff standards deals with continuing...

• Defining minimum threshold criteria

  Minimum threshold criteria translates to the minimum training or numbers that would be accepted to...

Issue 7, February 15, 2007

• Guidance for physician leaders for delivering information to the board?

  There is a right way and a wrong way to provide input to the medical executive committee (MEC...

• Tips for soliciting bids for exclusive contracts

  When using a request for proposal (RFP) process to solicit physicians for hospital-based exclusive...

• Study:Success for rehabilitating physicians with mental/behavioral health issues

  A Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Physician Health Services program has shown that it is...

• Working with the 'what ifs'

  When I work with medical staff leaders to create privileging criteria, there are a number of...

Issue 6, February 8, 2007

• AMA: President's budget flawed with regards to Medicare

  The American Medical Association (American Medical Association) took aim at President George W...

• A tip a day can chase away the winter doldrums (part 2 of 2)

  Last week, we began a to-do list for February with a different tip for each day of the month. These...

Issue 5, February 1, 2007

• Study: Pay-for-performance leads to "modest improvements" in quality

  A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), has indicated hospitals...

• A tip a day can chase away the winter doldrums (part 1 of 2)

  I noticed a February calendar designating each day as an opportunity to try a different wine, with...

Issue 4, January 25, 2007

• Joint Commission statement: Organization 'pleased' with outcome of GAO report

  The Joint Commission has issued an official statement regarding a report by the Government...

• Location, location, location

  I recently had a new medical service professional (MSP) ask me where the typical location is for...

Issue 3, January 18, 2007

• Last day for field review on Emergency Management standards

  The Emergency Management field review comment period for proposed revisions to the standard close...

• The unforeseen benefits of tackling your privileging system

  It is easy to state the known benefits of developing and implementing criteria-based privileging. A...

Issue 2, January 11, 2007

• The Joint Commission alters brand identity

  The Joint Commission has undergone a new branding effort, shortening its name from the Joint...

• Provider relations and physician development

  The medical staff office, and medical service professional (MSP), have relationships with many...

Issue 1, January 4, 2007

• Joint Commission proposed standard for disruptive behavior open for field review

  The Joint Commission has a proposed standard for disruptive behavior, and will seek public comment...

• Tips for the applicant interview

  Some inexperienced credentials committees encounter certain awkwardness in conducting an interview...

• MS.1.20, Part II: Clarification or Confusion?

  Anne Roberts, CPMSM, CPCS, is the director of medical affairs at Children's Medical Center in...

• Ask the expert: What are the NCQA requirements for verifying medical education?

  The highest of the three levels of education and training must be verified. The three levels are...

Issue 17, August 15, 2007

• Hospital found negligent in privileging physician

  A jury found Putnam General Hospital in Hurricane, WV, negligent in privileging a physician who was...