New Privilege Requirements

Fall is upon us and as everything changes, so do we. The news this month from Aurora involves some items that affect privileges. If you have any questions please let me know. I welcome your input.

Medical Staff categories to change due to new oversight requirements (changes to be discussed and voted on at the next bi-annual Medical Staff meeting):

• TMCA physician leadership believes both staff categories should be able to participate in medical staff affairs.
• Active staff will refer to those who actively treat patients in the facility.
• Affiliate staff will refer to those who do not meet criteria for active staff but want to maintain some affiliation with the facility and the medical staff.

This would include physicians who stop by to visit their patients or who remotely access Meditech and or PACs.

TB testing now required:

• When practitioners first apply and every two years thereafter at reappointment they need to provide proof of TB testing.
• Failure to do so will lead to administrative suspension (the same thing that happens when doctors do not complete their medical records).

 Paying medical staff dues:

• We discovered a number of physicians with outstanding dues and invoices are on their way.
• In fairness to your peers, everyone please, "pay up" and yes, those who do not pay are subject to administrative suspension.

Calling back when paged:

• Practitioners need to return pages within fifteen minutes when paged, except when paged to the ICU.
• ICU callback time is five minutes and governed by leapfrog criteria.
• Failures to call back in a timely manner cause the physician to enter a review process. 

Viewing micro results:

• A new feature requested by physicians will flag more positive tests in the first screen.
• For example, c-diff positives will be flagged much as positive blood cultures are noted.