Credentialing in Cosmetic Surgery

Abstract

In this paper, the author enumerates the policies and recommendations of organized medical organizations, federal and state laws concerning credentialing, and the rights of physicians to provide specific patient care services. He introduces the policy supported by the American Medical Association (AMA), including a description of the practice of clinical proctoring as a tool for peer review. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) standards are discussed, as are the positions on credentialing advocated by the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS), the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgeons (AAO–HNS), and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), and the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Inc.