Ask the expert: Who is responsible for paying a proctor when an existing medical staff member requests new privileges?

If the organization is pushing to adopt the procedure, technology, or treatment in question, the burden of compensating the outside proctor should fall on the hospital. If, on the other hand, an individual medical staff physician is making the request, the hospital may consider having him or her bear responsibility for paying the proctor. Another popular option is for the hospital and the physician to share the financial burden.
 

Regardless of the avenue your organization selects, clearly define the protocol for hiring external proctors in advance so that no questions arise at the time the physician performs new procedure or uses the new technology. Such a protocol should clearly outline the following:

• What are the guidelines for identifying an acceptable outside proctor
• Who has the authority to choose this individual
• What elements will be proctored
• What report format will be used
• How the proctor will be compensated
• Who will cover the legal liability

This week’s question and answer are from Proctoring and FPPE: Strategies for Verifying Physician Competence by Robert J. Marder, MD, CMSL, and Mark A. Smith, MD, MBA, CMSL.