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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