Let them resign their elective clinical privileges,
then inform them that such relinquishment does not
relieve them of their responsibility to provide on-call
coverage.
Inform them that the medical staff bylaws contain a
provision that automatically grants emergency privileges
to any physician in an emergency.
Also inform them that if they do not feel competent and
qualified to provide the service needed by the patient, it
is their responsibility to obtain alternative consultation.
That said, regulators look at a physician’s clinical privileges
to determine capability. For example, physicians
who perform carpal tunnel surgery cannot deny their
responsibility to care for hand injuries.
Some community hospitals have adopted categorical
credentialing as a means to ensure that specialists fulfill
their full range of responsibilities. However, you
must balance this with the need for super-specialists a
hospital may chose to recruit.
Don’t allow this clever ploy to be confused with a
physician’s responsibility to assist the medical staff in
responding to emergencies.
