N.M. Code R. § 7.7.2.26

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 11, June 11, 2024

Section 7.7.2.26 - MEDICAL STAFF

A. General Requirements:

(1) Organization and Accountability: The hospital shall have a medical staff organized under by-laws approved by the governing body. The medical staff shall be responsible to the governing body of the hospital for the quality of all medical care provided patients in the hospital and for the ethical and professional practices of its members.

(2) Responsibility of Members: Members of the medical staff shall comply with medical staff and hospital policies. The medical staff by-laws shall prescribe disciplinary procedures for infraction of hospital and medical staff policies by members of the medical staff. There shall be evidence that the disciplinary procedures are applied where appropriate.

B. Membership.

(1) Active Staff: A hospital shall have an active medical staff, which performs all the organizational duties pertaining to the medical staff. Active staff membership shall be limited to individuals, as defined in Subsection LL of 7.7.2.7 NMAC of these requirements, who are currently licensed. Individuals may be granted membership in accordance with the medical staff by-laws and rules, and in accordance with the by-laws of the hospital.

(2) Other staff: The medical staff may include one or more categories defined in the medical staff by-laws in addition to the active staff including a category to cover appointment during periods of disaster and emergency.

C. Appointment.

(1) Governing Body Responsibilities:

(a) medical staff appointments shall be made by the governing body, taking into account recommendations made by the active medical staff;

(b) the governing body shall biennially ensure that members of the medical staff are qualified legally and professionally for the position to which they are appointed;

(c) the hospital, through its medical staff, shall require applicants for medical staff membership to provide, in addition to other medical staff requirements, a complete list of all hospital medical staff memberships held within five years prior to application; and

(d) hospital medical staff applications shall require reporting any malpractice action, any previously successful and currently pending challenges to licensure in this or another state, and any loss or pending action affecting medical staff membership or privileges at another hospital.

(2) Medical staff responsibilities:

(a) to select its members and delineate their privileges, the hospital medical staff shall have a system, based on specific standards for evaluation of each applicant by a credentials committee, which makes recommendations to the medical staff and to the governing body; and

(b) the medical staff may include one or more categories of medical staff defined in the medical staff by-laws in addition to the active medical staff, including a category to cover appointment during periods of disaster and emergency, but this in no way modifies the duties and responsibilities of the active staff.

D. Criteria for Appointment.

(1) Criteria for selection shall include the individual's current licensure, health status, professional performance, judgment and clinical and technical skills.

(2) All qualified candidates shall be considered by the credentials committee or during periods of disaster and emergency by a member of the medical staff or administration who represents the credentials committee.

(3) Re-appointments shall be made at least biennially and recorded in the minutes or files of the governing body. Reappointment policies shall provide for a periodic appraisal of each member of the staff, including consideration at the time of reappointment of information concerning the individual's current licensure, health status, professional performance, judgment and clinical and technical skills. Recommendations for re-appointments shall be noted in the minutes of the meetings of the appropriate committee.

(4) Temporary staff privileges may be granted for a limited period if the individual is qualified for membership on the medical staff.

(5) Disaster and emergency privileges may be granted to qualified individuals during disasters and emergencies.

(6) A copy of the scope of privileges to be accorded the individual shall be distributed to appropriate hospital staff. The privileges of each staff member shall be specifically stated or the medical staff shall define a classification system. If a system involving classifications is used, the scope of the categories shall be well defined, and the standards that must be met by the applicant, shall be clearly stated for each category.

(7) If other categories of staff membership are to be established for allied health personnel, the necessary qualifications, privileges and rights shall be delineated in accordance with the medical staff by-laws.

E. Consultations.

(1) The medical staff must have established policies concerning the holding of consultations.

(2) Except in an emergency, consultations are required when:

(a) the patient is not a good medical or surgical risk;

(b) the diagnosis is obscure;

(c) there is doubt as to the best therapeutic measures to be utilized; or

(d) when the patient, or legally authorized person, requests such consultation.

(3) Consultations must be included in the medical record. When operative procedures are involved, the consultation note, except in an emergency, shall be recorded prior to the operation.

(4) The patient's physician or authorized licensed independent practitioner is responsible for requesting consultations when indicated. It is the duty of the medical staff to make certain that members of the medical staff contact consultants as needed.

F. By-Laws.

(1) Adoption and Purpose: By-laws shall be adopted by the medical staff and approved by the governing body to govern and enable the medical staff to carry out its responsibilities. The by-laws of the medical staff shall be a precise and clear statement of the policies under which the medical staff regulates itself.

(2) Content: Medical staff by-laws and rules shall include:

(a) a descriptive outline of the medical staff organization;

(b) a statement of the necessary qualifications which each member must possess to be privileged to work in the hospital, during periods of routine operation, as well as during periods of disaster and emergency, and of the duties and privileges of each category of medical staff;

(c) a procedure for granting or withdrawing privileges to each member; and an appeal process for privilege withdrawal or refusal;

(d) a mechanism for appeal of decisions regarding medical staff membership and privileges;

(e) provision for regular meetings of the medical staff;

(f) provision for keeping timely, accurate and complete records;

(g) provisions for routine examination of all patients upon admission and recording of the preoperative diagnosis prior to surgery;

(h) a stipulation that a surgical operation is permitted only with the consent of the patient or legally authorized person except in emergencies;

(i) statements concerning the request for the performance of consultations, and instances where consultations are require; and

(j) a statement specifying categories of personnel duly authorized to accept and implement medical staff orders.

G. Governance.

(1) The medical staff shall have the numbers and kinds of officers necessary for the governance of the staff.

(2) Officers shall be members of the active staff and shall be elected by the active medical staff.

H. Meetings.

(1) Number and Frequency: The number and frequency of medical staff meetings shall be determined by the active medical staff and clearly stated in the by-laws of the medical staff. At a minimum the executive committee of the medical staff shall meet at least quarterly.

(2) Attendance: Attendance records shall be kept of medical staff meetings. Attendance requirements for each individual member shall be clearly stated in the by-laws of the medical staff.

(3) Purpose: Full medical staff meetings shall be held to conduct the general business of the medical staff and to review the significant findings identified through the quality improvement program.

(4) Minutes: Minutes of all meetings shall be kept.

I. Committees.

(1) Establishment: The medical staff shall establish committees of the medical staff and is responsible for their performance.

(2) Executive committee: The medical staff shall have an executive committee to coordinate the activities and general policies of the various departments, act for the staff as a whole under limitations that may be imposed by the medical staff bylaws, and receive and act upon the reports of all other medical staff committees.

J. Administrative Structure: Hospitals may create services to fulfill medical staff responsibilities. Services are responsible for the quality of care rendered to patients under their care.

N.M. Code R. § 7.7.2.26

7.7.2.26 NMAC - Rp, 7.7.2.26 NMAC, 06-15-04; 7.7.2.26 NMAC - Rn, 7.7.2.25 NMAC & A, 03-15-06