EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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SENATE BILL 258
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By: Senator Lam
Introduced and read first time: January 25, 2023
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Hospital Credentialing – Reappointment Process for Physician Staff – 2
Modification 3
FOR the purpose of requiring that the credential reappointment process for physician staff 4
included in certain minimum standards for hospitals licensed in the State be 5
conducted in accordance with standards of the accreditation body that accredits a 6
hospital, rather than with a certain frequency; and generally relating to the 7
credentialing process for hospital physician staff. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Health – General 10
Section 19–319(e)(2) and (7) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Health – General 15
Section 19–319(e)(4) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Health – General 21
19–319. 22
(e) (2) As a condition of licensure, each hospital shall: 23
2 SENATE BILL 258
(i) Establish a credentialing process for the physicians who are 1
employed by or who have staff privileges at the hospital; and 2
(ii) Use the uniform standard credentialing form as the initial 3
application of a physician seeking to be credentialed. 4
(4) (I) The Secretary shall, by regulation and in consultation with 5
hospitals, physicians, interested community and advocacy groups, and representatives of 6
the Maryland Defense Bar and Plaintiffs’ Bar, establish minimum standards for a 7
credentialing process which shall include: 8
[(i)] 1. A formal written appointment process documenting the 9
physician’s education, clinical expertise, licensure history, insurance history, medical 10
history, claims history, and professional experience[.]; 11
[(ii)] 2. A requirement that an initial appointment to staff not be 12
complete until the physician has successfully completed a probationary period[.]; AND 13
[(iii)] 3. [A] SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (II) OF THIS 14
PARAGRAPH , A formal, written reappointment process to be conducted [at least every 2 15
years] IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDARDS OF THE ACC REDITATION BODY THAT 16
ACCREDITS A HOSPITAL. 17
(II) The reappointment process ESTABLISHED UNDER 18
SUBPARAGRAPH (I)3 OF THIS PARAGRAPH shall document the physician’s pattern of 19
performance by analyzing: 20
1. Claims filed against the physician; 21
2. Data dealing with utilization, quality, and risk; 22
3. Clinical skills; 23
4. Adherence to hospital bylaws, policies, and procedures; 24
5. Compliance with continuing education requirements; 25
6. Mental and physical status; and 26
7. The results of the practitioner performance evaluation 27
process under subsection (i) of this section. 28
(7) If a hospital fails to establish or maintain a credentialing process 29
required under this subsection, the Secretary may impose the following penalties: 30
(i) Delicensure of the hospital; or 31 SENATE BILL 258 3
(ii) $500 per day for each day the violation continues. 1
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 2
October 1, 2023. 3