Privilege List for Family Practice Departments in Hospitals

The AAFP believes that the use of a Privilege List in conjunction with the categorization approach is the most comprehensive method for delineation of privileges. The addition of a listing of specific privilege requests will give the Credentials Committee, and ultimately the Board of Trustees, a better understanding of the scope of family practice training and experience.

Since it is impossible to make a completely comprehensive list of all possible diagnoses and procedural needs which would be applicable across the country, the AAFP recommends that the following Privilege List be used as an outline and reference material for a form which is adapted to meet local needs. The Privilege List is separated by systems rather than the usual "specialty" categories (e.g., pediatrics), which the AAFP considers as arbitrary and not applicable to the continuum of care provided in family practice. The format lists, in alphabetic order, both cognitive and procedural skills involved with the medical care of each system.

ALIMENTARY

I. Cognitive

The number of items listed under a specific system should also be tailored to meet local needs. Department committees should be aware of the political climate in their community as well as the attitudes of other types of specialists so that the list will include all items which may become problematic if not specifically listed. This is especially true regarding procedural skills.

In utilizing the categorization format in conjunction with the Privilege List, the department may wish to assign certain skills to a specific categorical level. An example would be any disease process considered acutely life threatening or requiring care in the Intensive Care Unit which the department may wish to designate as Category II and III. This, again, will need to be evaluated locally and based on local needs.

APPLICANT SECTION

R: privilege requested: indicates you believe you can properly diagnose and treat this problem
R/C: requested with consultation: indicates you can properly diagnose and treat this problem with consultative assistance and would not manage without such consultation
T: indicates your training background is sufficient to justify granting the requested privilege
E: indicates your experience with the problem is sufficient to justify granting the requested privilege

HOSPITAL SECTION

C: category this privilege is considered at your hospital
M: monitoring required before privilege granted independently
G: privilege granted
D: privilege denied