Colorado § 25-3-103.5 - Nondiscrimination - hospital surgical privileges - hospital rules and regulations.

§ 25-3-103.5. Nondiscrimination - hospital surgical privileges - hospital rules and regulations.

(1) The bylaws of any hospital licensed pursuant to the provisions of part 3 of this article or established pursuant to section 32-1-1003, C.R.S., which does not limit staff privileges to employees or contracting physicians of such hospital, shall include provisions for the use of the facility by, and staff privileges for, duly licensed doctors of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, and podiatry within the scope of their respective licenses. Such bylaws shall not discriminate on the basis of the staff member's holding a degree of doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, doctor of dental science, or doctor of podiatric medicine within the scope of their respective licensure. Provision shall be made in the bylaws for the right to pursue and practice full surgical privileges for holders of a degree of doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, doctor of dental science, or doctor of podiatric medicine within the scope of their respective licensure. Such rights and privileges may be limited or restricted upon the basis of an individual practitioner's demonstrated training, experience, current competence, professional ethics, health status, or failure to abide by the hospital's rules, regulations, and procedures.

(2) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a hospital to offer a specific service or services not otherwise offered or to buy, construct, or renovate facilities, to purchase equipment, hire additional staff, or to comply with other requirements of law concerning its planning, financing, or operation. If a health service is offered, the hospital shall not discriminate between persons holding a degree of doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, or doctor of podiatric medicine who are authorized by law to perform such services.

(3) A hospital may require the coadmittance by a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy for any patient admitted for surgical treatment by a podiatrist or dentist. The responsibility for obtaining such coadmittance shall be that of the podiatrist or dentist admitting said patient and not of the hospital. Patients admitted for podiatric or dental care shall receive the same basic medical appraisal as patients admitted for other services. Such appraisal shall include an admission history and physical examination by a medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, or qualified, hospital-credentialed and -privileged podiatrist, who is either on the medical staff or approved by the medical staff of such hospital. The findings of such appraisal shall be recorded on the patient's medical record. The admitting podiatrist or dentist shall be responsible for that part of the history and examination that is related to podiatry or dentistry. The medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy shall be responsible for the treatment of any medical problem that may be present on admission or arise during hospitalization of such podiatric or dental patient. Such doctor shall evaluate the general medical condition of the podiatric or dental patient and determine, after consultation if necessary, the overall risk of the pending surgical treatment to the patient's health.

(4) Within one hundred eighty days after May 25, 1983, the governing body of every hospital subject to the provisions of part 3 of this article or established pursuant to section 32-1-1003, C.R.S., which does not limit staff privileges to employees or contracting physicians of such hospital, shall provide in its bylaws reasonable standards and procedures to be applied by such hospital and its staff in considering and acting upon applications for staff membership or privileges by a person holding a Colorado license to practice as a doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathic medicine, podiatrist, or dentist in conformance with the requirements of any national accrediting body to which the hospital subscribes. Such standards and procedures shall be available for public inspection and shall be based on an applicant's individual training, experience, current competence, professional ethics, health status, and the hospital's rules of professional conduct applied equally to all persons holding a Colorado license to practice as a doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathic medicine, podiatrist, or dentist.

(5) Hospital rules and regulations shall be reasonable, necessary, and applied in good faith equally and in a nondiscriminatory manner to all staff members, or applicants seeking to become staff members, holding a degree of doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathic medicine, doctor of dental science, or doctor of podiatric medicine.

Source: L. 83: Entire section added, p. 1053, § 1, effective May 25. L. 2007: (3) amended, p. 436, § 1, effective August 3.