Hospitals and other medical facilities aren't automatically liable for every physician who commits malpractice while working in their facility. However, they are responsible for the malpractice of a medical professional who works directly for them. In a medical malpractice claim, the hospital will typically be liable if the individual responsible was a doctor, nurse, or another employee who worked directly for the hospital. However, they are only liable if the medical professional acted within the scope of their employment when the malpractice occurred. Most states, including Florida, have laws that make employers responsible for the acts of their employees. This also applies to hospital employees who are doctors. However, the process differs with a physician in private practice who draws their income from that practice, not from the medical facility or hospital. Hospital privileges, crucial to many medical practices, don't make doctors hospital employees. Instead, they have permission to treat patients on the hospital premises. Hospital administrators must evaluate and approve a physician's hospital privileges. When a private practice doctor with hospital privileges injures a patient through medical malpractice, you might hold the doctor and the hospital liable for the resulting injuries. On the other hand, if a private practice physician commits malpractice and the hospital doesn't share fault, you cannot hold the hospital liable.​