MEC proposes changes to medical staff membership qualifications to align with trends

The Salem Hospital Medical Executive Committee (MEC) is proposing a change to the Credentials Procedure Manual qualifications for Medical Staff Membership to include Physician Assistants and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (including NPs, CRNAs and CNMs) to align with regional and national trends.

Legacy Health and Providence Health now include APPs as members of the medical staff.  Also, APRNs are independent providers in Oregon and recent law changes have opened the autonomy of PAs through collaborative relationship models and no longer require supervision.    

The Salem Hospital MEC recommends the following changes, which would align advanced practice providers (APPs) with applicable Active or Associate staff categories in accordance with privileges.

Medical staff membership will include:

• Voting in Medical Staff elections and on Medical Staff Bylaws.
• Opportunity to be elected to a medical staff committee in accordance with the committee’s charter or other governing documents.  Additionally, some committees may request additional medical staff members (physicians and/or APPs) to occasionally participate as non-voting members to provide expert advice.

Medical staff membership for advanced practice providers will not include:

• Changes to privileges or scope of practice: All specialty and APP credentialing and privileging will remain the same. Privileging criteria is still overseen by the Credentials Committee and approved by the Medical Executive Committee and Board of Trustees. 
• Medical Staff Committee Chair and Medical Executive Committee composition: Medical Staff Committee Chair positions and members of the MEC will be reserved for qualified physicians of the Medical Staff.
• Section Chief roles: These roles will be held by qualified physician members of the Medical Staff.

Our Medical Staff Bylaws require changes to the Credentials Procedure Manual be posted for 14 days for medical staff feedback.  Please provide your feedback or questions directly to Kelly Aebi, director of medical staff services, for review by the MEC.

The West Valley Hospital MEC is reviewing this proposed change for adoption; watch for updates in Common Ground.

Click here to see proposed changes (in red) to Section 2 of the Credentials Procedure Manual.