Hospital privileges of family physicians in North Carolina

Ninety-eight percent of the North Carolina hospitals studied grant some or all of their family physician staff general medicine privileges, while 80 percent grant some or all family physician staff coronary unit privileges. Sixty-eight percent of the hospitals grant some or all family physicians general pediatrics privileges, while 72 percent grant newborn nursery privileges. Routine obstetrics privileges are present in 67 percent of the hospitals. Only 24 percent of the hospitals grant some or all the family physicians operative surgical privileges. There is a significant difference between urban and rural hospitals in first assistant surgery privileges. Of the 38 hospitals granting first assistant privileges, 35 are rural. Family physicians in smaller hospitals, especially those having fewer than 100 beds, are less likely to be required to seek consultations. Hospitals were asked to note what privileges a new board certified family physician staff member might expect to receive. There was little change from the current pattern. This study suggests that the opportunity for extensive hospital practice by family physicians currently exists in North Carolina.