1.0Scope

This Policy applies to the Medical Staff of the Hospital and affiliated clinics

2.0Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to provide guidance with respect to requirements and responsibilities of physicians with respect to providing coverage in the Hospital.

3.0General policy

In order to meet coverage responsibilities as set forth in the applicable Section of the Medical Staff Bylaws (Coverage Responsibilities), Staff are required to respond in a timely manner as further set forth in Section 5.0. Response time is defined as the time from first verbal contact to the on-call physician until the time the physician arrives in the Hospital. If a specific response time is set forth in a contract for services including, but not limited to employment contract, the provisions in the contract supersede the terms of this policy.

4.0Procedures

Physicians are expected to verbally respond to a page or call within 10 minutes.

If the on-call physician needs to come to the Hospital, the physician must arrive within the pre-determined Response Time for the type of practice.

The on call physician, if engaged in other patient care, can ask a team NP or PA to initiate the process of seeing a patient in the ED to start the workup and admission process. Communication between the physician and NP/PA would occur to establish an initial plan for the patient. If the on-call physician is still engaged and not able to see the patient in the ED, which is generally preferred, they must see and examine the patient in their inpatient location and confirm the plan within 8 hours of the NP/PA examination.

Each Section is responsible for providing on-call coverage and those requirements may be less than the following Response Times, which are maximum Response Times for each Section. The Medical Executive Committee may alter the Response Time in its sole discretion and upon request of an individual, Division or Section.

General Medicine:

  • Adult Hospitalist and General Internal Medicine – 30 minutes
  • Cardiology – 30 minutes
  • Intensive Care – 30 minutes
  • Dermatology – 1 hour
  • Gastroenterology – 30 minutes
  • Hematology and Oncology – 1 hour
  • Infectious Diseases – 1 hour
  • Nephrology – 1 hour
  • Neurology – 1 hour
  • Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation – 1 hour
  • Rheumatology – 1 hour

Pediatrics:

  • Primary Care and Pediatrics responsible for newborns – 30 minutes
  • Pediatric Hospitalist/General Pediatrics – 1 hour
  • Pediatric Hospitalists/Neonatology - 20 minutes

Obstetrics-Gynecology:

  • Obstetrics – 30 minutes
  • Gynecology – 30 minutes

Surgery:

  • General Surgery – 30 minutes
  • Neurosurgery – 30 minutes
  • Ophthalmology Surgery – 30 minutes
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – 30 minutes
  • Orthopedic Surgery - 30 minutes
  • ENT Otolaryngology – 30 minutes
  • Plastic Surgery – 30 minutes
  • Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery – 30 minutes
  • Trauma Surgery – 15 minutes
  • Urology Surgery – 1 hour
  • Vascular Surgery – 30 minutes

Family Medicine and Family Medicine Residency: 1 hour

Emergency Medicine: Staffed 24/7

Pathology: 1 hour

Radiology and Medical Imaging/Nuclear Medicine: 1 hour

Radiation Oncology: 1 hour

Anesthesia, General: 20 minutes

Anesthesia, Cardiac: 1 hour

5.0Document retention

N/A

6.0References

This Policy refers to the current versions of the following:

  • CMMC Medical Staff Bylaws, Rules and regulations (Coverage Responsibilities)

Effective: 10/01/10

Reviewed:

Revised: 10/2012, 9/22/2014 (Formatting changes), 12/2014, 9/2017

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