Peer review of AHPs

Beyond having detailed requirements for membership, privileging criteria, and other applicable policies, FPPE and OPPE for AHPs is needed to provide an initial review of new practitioners and a sustained review of each reappointment application. Best practice is a comparative analysis of OPPE for like practitioners, departments, and/or subspecialty divisions that may be reviewed together.

Although some healthcare organizations utilize their credentials committee for addressing AHPs, the development and use of an allied health committee is also a viable option. A standing allied health subcommittee avoids a top-down approach, especially with respect to planning for any new procedures or privileges. When an allied health committee is formulated as a subcommittee of the credentials committee, depending upon state law, there may be added protection from discovery. In this model, the credentials committee maintains oversight but does not get bogged down in some of the finer details that are addressed by the subcommittee.

The more involved your AHPs are in the formulation of new policies and procedures as well as the ongoing credentialing of AHPs, including the review of care, the better the use of physician time. Forming an allied health committee does not mean physicians are excluded from the process. In fact, there should be physician representation on the allied health committee; having members of the credentials committee seated on the allied health committee is a very good choice.

Source: News & Analysis