The ultimate responsibility for delineating clinical privileges in the hospital setting rests with the institution’s governing board and is discharged through the organized medical staff. Privilege delineation is an institutional function aimed at matching the clinical privileges accorded to each member of the medical staff with his/her documented clinical training and demonstrated ability to perform, thereby ensuring patient safety and promoting the quality of patient care.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery supports the granting of surgical privileges that indicate:
- The organized medical staff reviews and analyzes all relevant information regarding each requesting practitioner’s current license status, training, experience, current competence, and ability to perform the requested privilege.
- The hospital, based on recommendations by the organized medical staff and approval by the governing body, develops criteria that will be considered in the decision to grant, limit, or deny a requested privilege.
- The medical staff membership and professional privileges are not dependent solely upon certification, fellowship, or membership in a specialty body or society.
Adopted 1985
Reviewed 9/16/1995
Revised 9/16/1995
Revised 12/17/1997
Submitted for Review 3/1/1998
Reaffirmed 3/1/1998
Revised 9/28/2013
Important Disclaimer Notice (Updated 7/31/14)
Position statements are approved by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery or Foundation (AAO-HNS/F) Boards of Directors and are typically generated from AAO-HNS/F committees. Once approved by the Academy or Foundation Board of Directors, they become official position statements and are added to the existing position statement library. In no sense do they represent a standard of care. The applicability of position statements, as guidance for a procedure, must be determined by the responsible physician in light of all the circumstances presented by the individual patient. Adherence to these clinical position statements will not ensure successful treatment in every situation. As with all AAO-HNS/F guidance, this position statement should not be deemed inclusive of all proper treatment decisions or methods of care, nor exclusive of other treatment decisions or methods of care reasonably directed to obtaining the same results. Position statements are not intended to and should not be treated as legal, medical, or business advice.
