Rules & Regulations of the Medical Staff

Consult requests are considered routine in those instances where the treating provider wishes to present a patient to the on-call physician, but where the patient’s condition does not require emergency consultation. Telephone response time to routine consult requests shall be within twenty minutes. The in-person response time shall be mutually decided between the on-call physician and treating provider. The opinion of the treating provider shall prevail in the case of differing opinions as to appropriate in-person response time.
				Emergency consult requests require the on-call physician’s response by telephone within 20 minutes of receiving a call from the hospital’s clinical staff. The treating provider and the on-call physician shall determine the appropriate in-person response time for the on-call physician. The opinion of the treating provider present in the hospital shall govern in the event of differing opinions as to appropriate in-person response time.
				For patients 18 years old or less, the in-person response time of the on-call physician shall not exceed 60 minutes from the initial call to the on-call physician.
				For the purpose of Sections (1) and (2) above, “provider” is defined as physician, physician’s assistant, advanced practice nurse, nurse practitioner, registered nurse as set forth in New Jersey licensure standards.