2023 Texas Statutes › Health and Safety Code › Title 4 - Health Facilities › Subtitle B - Licensing of Health Facilities › Chapter 241 - Hospitals › Subchapter E. Staff, Records, and Plan Reviews › Section 241.101. Hospital Authority Concerning Medical Staff

Sec. 241.101.  HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONCERNING MEDICAL STAFF.  (a)  Except as otherwise provided by this section and Section 241.102, this chapter does not change the authority of the governing body of a hospital, as it considers necessary or advisable, to:
(1)  make rules, standards, or qualifications for medical staff membership;  or
(2)  grant or refuse to grant membership on the medical staff.
(b)  This chapter does not prevent the governing body of a hospital from adopting reasonable rules and requirements in compliance with this chapter relating to:
(1)  qualifications for any category of medical staff appointments;
(2)  termination of appointments;  or
(3)  the delineation or curtailment of clinical privileges of those who are appointed to the medical staff.
(c)  The process for considering applications for medical staff membership and privileges or the renewal, modification, or revocation of medical staff membership and privileges must afford each physician, podiatrist, and dentist procedural due process that meets the requirements of 42 U.S.C. Section 11101 et seq., as amended.
(d)  If a hospital's credentials committee has failed to take action on a completed application as required by Subsection (k), or a physician, podiatrist, or dentist is subject to a professional review action that may adversely affect his medical staff membership or privileges, and the physician, podiatrist, or dentist believes that mediation of the dispute is desirable, the physician, podiatrist, or dentist may require the hospital to participate in mediation as provided in Chapter 154, Civil Practice and Remedies Code.  The mediation shall be conducted by a person meeting the qualifications required by Section 154.052, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and within a reasonable period of time.
(e)  Subsection (d) does not authorize a cause of action by a physician, podiatrist, or dentist against the hospital other than an action to require a hospital to participate in mediation.
(f)  An applicant for medical staff membership or privileges may not be denied membership or privileges on any ground that is otherwise prohibited by law.
(g)  A hospital's bylaw requirements for staff privileges may require a physician, podiatrist, or dentist to document the person's current clinical competency and professional training and experience in the medical procedures for which privileges are requested.
(h)  In granting or refusing medical staff membership or privileges, a hospital may not differentiate on the basis of the academic medical degree held by a physician.
(i)  Graduate medical education may be used as a standard or qualification for medical staff membership or privileges for a physician, provided that equal recognition is given to training programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and by the American Osteopathic Association.
(j)  Board certification may be used as a standard or qualification for medical staff membership or privileges for a physician, provided that equal recognition is given to certification programs approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties and the Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists.
(k)  A hospital's credentials committee shall act expeditiously and without unnecessary delay when a licensed physician, podiatrist, or dentist submits a completed application for medical staff membership or privileges.  The hospital's credentials committee shall take action on the completed application not later than the 90th day after the date on which the application is received.  The governing body of the hospital shall take final action on the application for medical staff membership or privileges not later than the 60th day after the date on which the recommendation of the credentials committee is received.  The hospital must notify the applicant in writing of the hospital's final action, including a reason for denial or restriction of privileges, not later than the 20th day after the date on which final action is taken.
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 77, Sec. 1, eff. May 11, 1995;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 159, Sec. 1, eff. May 21, 1999;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1175, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.0583, eff. April 2, 2015.