The risks with temporary privileges

At the Credentialing Resource Center Symposium in Las Vegas, March 12-13, 2015, speaker Sally Pelletier, CPMSM, CPCS, will address several hot-button credentialing and privileging issues. Pelletier and Carol Cairns, CPMSM, CPCS, will present a session on granting temporary and locum tenens. Below, Pelletier answers a common question among MSPs regarding temporary privileges.

Q: What makes temporary and locum tenens privileges risky for hospitals?

A: Often, the impetus for granting temporary privileges or “locum tenens” privileges is driven by a short term or immediate “need” (substantiated or not) for coverage. Organizations either fail to properly plan for these circumstances or fail to develop a culture that is supportive of adhering to established policies and procedures. The risk is not that they are granting temporary privileges or privileges to locum tenens, but whether organizations follow a full vetting process with appropriate due diligence to determine current competency for requested privileges.