1. Written Schedule Required. Members of a Department or Section will be assigned to cover the ED according to a written schedule.
2. Allocation of Emergency Department Coverage. Department and Section Chiefs will allocate ED coverage equally between the Department or Section members eligible and / or required to provide such coverage. If a Member requests additional time on the coverage schedule, the Department or Section Chief may allocate such time to the Member if appropriate.
3. Coverage in Extreme Emergency Situations. In cases of extreme emergency, an Emergency Department physician may obtain the services of any Member, regardless of Medical Staff category, who is immediately available to cope with the situation. Such Member shall provide whatever medication or treatment is deemed necessary by that physician, given the urgency of the situation.
4. Multiple Specialties Available. When two or more specialties maintain core privileges in a required specialty, including, but not limited to, hand call or facial fracture call, and an ED patient requires the services provided by those specialties, then the Emergency Department Physician may contact a Member on call in either specialty to cover the patient. The Member called must see the patient or obtain coverage from a Member in the other on call specialty.
D.
Failure to Fulfill Emergency Department Coverage Obligations. If a Member who scheduled to provide ED coverage fails to respond to the Emergency Department Physician after multiple attempts, then the Emergency Department Physician immediately will contact the scheduled Member’ s Section Chair followed by the Department Chief or, if said Chief is unavailable, the Chief of Staff and / or CMO / VPMA. If the Department or Section Chief is contacted, he or she will notify the Chief of Staff promptly of such contact. The Chief of Staff will take immediate corrective action against the scheduled Member, in the following sequence:
1. First Instance. In the first instance of a Member failing to fulfill his or her ED coverage obligations, the Chief of Staff will direct the Department or Section Chief to send a written warning to the Member.
2. Second Instance. If the Member fails to fulfill his or her ED coverage obligations for a second time within a 12 month period, the Chief of Staff will send a letter to the Member requesting that the Member prepare and submit a written request for a plan of action to eliminate further instances of failing to fulfill the ED coverage obligations.
3. Third Instance. If the Member fails to fulfill his or her ED coverage obligations for a third time within 12 months of the second instance, the Member will be subject to disciplinary action as per the Credentials Manual.
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