OHA State Advocacy Center

State Health Care Issues

Credentialing
In 2004, efforts were underway in the Ohio Senate to limit the authority of hospital governing boards in their role of credentialing physicians. Although HB 67 did not pass the 125th General Assembly, it is important for lawmakers to understand that the responsibility for ensuring that hospitals have the resources to meet their communities’ needs lies with the hospital's governing board. Decisions regarding hospital staff privileges for physicians are made entirely by these stewards of our community health care delivery system, and these decisions are not made lightly.

A proposed amendment would have prohibited hospital governing boards from terminating relationships with physicians who are actively working against the mission of the hospital, and in turn, the best interests of the community as a whole. By law, governing boards have a fiduciary responsibility to act in the best financial interests of the facilities they serve. This amendment would require community leaders to ignore their responsibility, and it would severely damage their authority to govern a community asset.

This section of the OHA website is designed to provide OHA members with additional resources on the issue as well as with tools to help them communicate the seriousness of this issue with state lawmakers.

HB 67 Amendment

Letters
February 4, 2004 (Letter to Senator Lynn Wachtmann from OHA)
February 4, 2004 (Letter to Senator Lynn Wachtmann from OCHA)
December 11, 2003 (Letter to Speaker Householder from OHA)

Testimony
February 4, 2004
Mike Curtin, Chairman, Mt. Caramel Health System
February 4, 2004
Chip Hubbs, President and CEO, Community Memorial Hospital

Media Support
Findlay Courier February 5, 2004
Fiscal attack Bill would disable nonprofit hospitals
*Used with the permission of the FIndlay Courier
Columbus Dispatch February 1, 2004
Self-defense: Hospitals must be allowed to decide who gets to practicing credentials
*Used with the permission of the Columbus Dispatch

Resources
Horty Springer White Paper
Hospital Responses to Physician Competition
*Used with the permission of Horty Springer Publications

Contacts
Bridget Gargan, Vice President, State Policy & Advocacy bridgetg@ohanet.org

Related OHA Articles

Amendment Surfaces Restricting Authority of Hospital Governing Boards 1.29.04
Credentialing Restricting Derailed 2.5.04

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