Customizing criteria-based core privileges

The following steps are essential to successfully developing and implementing core privileges in any organization. The assumptions in all the steps are that medical staff leaders within your organization have already examined existing privileging practices and recognize the dilemmas associated with the current privileging mechanisms, and that your organization has chosen to proactively address its privileging mechanisms.

• Gain initial commitment and support. The CEO of a major corporation generally must obtain the approval of the board of directors or a special committee before developing a new product line. Such approval indicates that there is sufficient interest in the objective to warrant the institutional effort that must be made to achieve the objective. Likewise, leaders within your organization must understand the objective (i.e., a more efficient and effective privileging system) well enough to give tacit approval to explore it further.
• Conduct background research. Research, too, is essential in successfully completing any complex task. The more one knows about the subject at hand and about the prior activities of the organization, the better able one will be to assist the organization in achieving its goal.
• Provide education. Once again, in-depth education about the issue at hand is essential. Education helps solidify prior conceptual approval of any project and provides a great opportunity for individuals to raise questions that will demand answers at a future date. Be sure to demonstrate the benefits of the criteria-based core privileging system.
• Create a detailed design. Any organization moving a product from the conceptual stage through the design stage understands the need for detailed blueprints and designs. Likewise, when developing core privileges, the appropriate individuals (e.g., service chiefs, department chairs, credentials committee members, MSPs) must participate in all phases of design.
• Reach a final agreement and obtain authorization. Once a product has been through design and is ready for production, the organization must decide whether to implement the plans for the new product. For core privileges, such final approval must come from the governing board based on recommendations from the MEC.

Source: Core Privileges for Physicians, Sixth Edition