Question:  We have an applicant for appointment.  The department chair at his last hospital and the CEO at the hospital prior to that have mentioned issues about his getting along with staff he considers to be “beneath him.”  So, we asked him to provide the names and contact numbers for two nurses, technologists, or medical assistants who we could contact to inquire further about his professional conduct.  He refuses and claims we have no right to speak to non-physician practitioners, since they are not “peers” and cannot provide peer references.  Is he right?

Answer:   No, he is not correct.  During the credentialing process, the hospital and its leaders may speak to anyone who has information that could be relevant to the applicant’s qualifications, including clinical skill, judgment, professional conduct, and reputation.  While the credentialing process should include “peer” references, that does not mean it should exclude all other information.  “Peers” are valuable to the credentialing process because they provide the clinical expertise that is necessary to evaluate whether the individual is qualified to exercise the clinical privileges he or she is requesting.  But other individuals can have information that is just as valuable – as in this case, where the unresolved issue is whether the applicant is able to cooperate with other members of the health care team and promote a harmonious work environment.

How you respond to the applicant depends, of course, on what your medical staff bylaws and related documents state.  Provided you have appropriate language, however, the best approach would be to deem the application incomplete – and ineligible to be processed – until the requested information is provided by the applicant and any concerns about his conduct are resolved.