HOUSE MEMORIAL 24

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2012

INTRODUCED BY

Terry H. McMillan

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO DIRECT THE LEGISLATIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE TO HEAR TESTIMONY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE A SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT HOSPITAL CREDENTIALING PROCESS FOR PHYSICIANS.

     WHEREAS, an essential part of ensuring safe patient care in any hospital is the credentialing of physicians to practice in that hospital in a specific, appropriate type of practice; and

     WHEREAS, while varying from facility to facility, the hospital credentialing process involves the careful observation of guidelines such as those published by the joint commission and the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services; and

     WHEREAS, most hospitals perform extensive background checks before credentialing or re-credentialing a physician; and

     WHEREAS, the credentialing process often involves consulting the national practitioner database, as well as checking peer references and work, education and criminal history, malpractice claims history and medicare and medicaid fraud databases and other facilities' records; and 

     WHEREAS, a hospital must carefully consider all elements in its credentialing process, as an unduly cumbersome or lengthy credentialing process will result in inefficiency without augmenting patient safety, a result that is neither in the hospital's nor the physician's best interests; and

     WHEREAS, the body responsible for credentialing a physician for a hospital is a committee usually made up of a hospital's staff physicians; and

     WHEREAS, the joint commission, which accredits hospitals, requires that hospitals repeat credentialing checks on physicians at least every two years; and

     WHEREAS, when a physician wishes to perform a new type of procedure, the hospital's peer review committee reviews the procedure and the physician's training and ability to perform that procedure before approving the procedure; and

     WHEREAS, one challenge to an effective hospital credentialing process is the need for a committee to be knowledgeable about any procedure it authorizes, despite the difficulty of being fully informed about a wide variety of innovative procedures; and

     WHEREAS, another challenge to hospital credentialing committees is that it can be difficult for colleagues to thoroughly question and vet their fellow staff physicians while maintaining a spirit of cooperation and collegiality among physicians at that hospital; and

     WHEREAS, without proper credentialing, a hospital's patients may be subject to the unsafe practice of medicine by a physician who is not qualified to engage in that practice, which may result in bodily harm or even death; and

     WHEREAS, a hospital that does not properly vet a physician through the credentialing process may be subject to enormous liability for any malpractice that results;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico legislative council be requested to direct the legislative health and human services committee to conduct a hearing on the subject of hospital physician credentialing; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative council direct the legislative health and human services committee to receive testimony from experts on the credentialing process and make recommendations regarding policies and procedures to provide a thorough, effective and efficient credentialing process that ensures patient safety; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislative health and human services committee be directed to receive testimony on the subject of hospital credentialing from experts that include the joint commission, the New Mexico medical board, the board of osteopathic medical examiners, the hospital industry, medical and osteopathic physicians and individuals with legal expertise in the field of medical malpractice; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative council and the chair and vice chair of the legislative health and human services committee.

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