Medical Staff Update

All medical staff members at SHC and LPCH are required to undergo annual TB testing, according to a medical staff policy reaffirmed by the Medical Board in April.

Robert Norris, medical director of employee health and chief of the Division of Emergency Medicine, said the TB policy has been in effect for many years but hadn't been widely publicized.

"Some medical staff members have missed a year of test results because they have waited for their biennial recredentialing before submitting their TB surveillance," Norris said.

He noted that the current Medical Staff policy, sent to the Hospital Board for ratification, states that "failure to provide documentation of annual renewal of the TB skin test may result in suspension from the Medical Staff." The testing is required by the Santa Clara County Health Department, the California Department of Health and by JCAHO.

Specifically, medical staff members are required to have an annual TB skin test as long as the results are negative. Staff members who test positive are required to have a chest x-ray at the time of initial appointment, followed annually with a TB questionnaire. Medical staff members with positive PPDs who become symptomatic will require further evaluation and treatment, the policy states.

Ruth Shanahan, manager of employee health services, said a number of convenient options are available for staff members to receive routine skin tests:

Take the test with flu vaccines offered each fall to medical staff members and others at a variety of locations and times.

Go to Employee Health, located on nursing unit H1, Room 103.

Tests conducted at other facilities may be forwarded to the SHC/LPCH medical staff office for inclusion in the credentials file.


	JUNE 2004 Volume 28 • No. 6

	N E W Sx I T E M S Systems, not 'screwups' cause most medical errors TB surveillance required every year for physicians Stanford Cancer Center: Fact Sheet Be A Mentor Hospitalist believe they contribute to efficiency, safety Original Starsky delivers personal HIV story Anesthesiologist named to tech-oriented deanship Size trumps quality in magazine ratings		TB surveillance required every year for physicians All medical staff members at SHC and LPCH are required to undergo annual TB testing, according to a medical staff policy reaffirmed by the Medical Board in April. Robert Norris, medical director of employee health and chief of the Division of Emergency Medicine, said the TB policy has been in effect for many years but hadn't been widely publicized. "Some medical staff members have missed a year of test results because they have waited for their biennial recredentialing before submitting their TB surveillance," Norris said. He noted that the current Medical Staff policy, sent to the Hospital Board for ratification, states that "failure to provide documentation of annual renewal of the TB skin test may result in suspension from the Medical Staff." The testing is required by the Santa Clara County Health Department, the California Department of Health and by JCAHO. Specifically, medical staff members are required to have an annual TB skin test as long as the results are negative. Staff members who test positive are required to have a chest x-ray at the time of initial appointment, followed annually with a TB questionnaire. Medical staff members with positive PPDs who become symptomatic will require further evaluation and treatment, the policy states. Ruth Shanahan, manager of employee health services, said a number of convenient options are available for staff members to receive routine skin tests: Take the test with flu vaccines offered each fall to medical staff members and others at a variety of locations and times. Go to Employee Health, located on nursing unit H1, Room 103. Tests conducted at other facilities may be forwarded to the SHC/LPCH medical staff office for inclusion in the credentials file.