NRS450.440. Staff of physicians: Organization; affiliation with university; rotation of service; assistance.

      1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the board of hospital trustees shall organize a staff of physicians composed of each regular practicing physician, podiatric physician and dentist in the county in which the hospital is located who requests staff membership and meets the standards set forth in the regulations prescribed by the board of hospital trustees.

      2.  The board of hospital trustees may, after consulting with the chief of staff of the hospital and the deans of the University of Nevada School of Medicine and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine, organize a staff of physicians composed of physicians, podiatric physicians and dentists who are affiliated with the University of Nevada School of Medicine or the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine who request staff membership and meet the requirements set forth in subsection 3. If the board of hospital trustees organizes a staff of physicians in accordance with this subsection, the board of hospital trustees may require:

      (a) Not more than 60 percent of the staff of physicians to be so affiliated before January 1, 2013.

      (b) Not more than 85 percent of the staff of physicians to be so affiliated on or after January 1, 2013, and before January 1, 2018.

      (c) The staff of physicians to have such an affiliation in such a percentage as the board of hospital trustees deems appropriate on or after January 1, 2018.

      3.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, if the board of hospital trustees decides to organize the staff of physicians in accordance with subsection 2, a physician, podiatric physician or dentist who requests staff membership must:

      (a) Meet the standards set forth in the regulations prescribed by the board of hospital trustees; and

      (b) Hold a faculty or clinical appointment with the University of Nevada School of Medicine or the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, School of Dental Medicine and maintain that appointment while he or she is on the staff of physicians.

      4.  If the board of hospital trustees decides to organize the staff of physicians in accordance with subsection 2, the board of hospital trustees may enter into a contract with a physician or group of physicians who do not meet the requirements of subsection 3 if the physician or group of physicians will be the exclusive provider of certain services for the hospital. Such services may include, without limitation, radiology, pathology, emergency medicine and neonatology services.

      5.  The provisions of subsections 2 and 3 shall not be deemed to prohibit a physician, podiatric physician or dentist who is on the staff of physicians from being affiliated with another institution of higher education.

      6.  The staff shall organize in a manner prescribed by the board so that there is a rotation of service among the members of the staff to give proper medical and surgical attention and service to the indigent sick, injured or maimed who may be admitted to the hospital for treatment.

      7.  The board of hospital trustees or the board of county commissioners may offer the following assistance to members of the staff to attract and retain them:

      (a) Establishment of clinic or group practice;

      (b) Malpractice insurance coverage under the hospital’s policy of professional liability insurance;

      (c) Professional fee billing; and

      (d) The opportunity to rent office space in facilities owned or operated by the hospital, as the space is available, if this opportunity is offered to all members of the staff on the same terms and conditions.

      [Part 11:169:1929; A 1955, 194]—(NRS A 1963, 346; 1967, 996; 1979, 150, 1408, 1409; 2001, 1830; 2005, 2557; 2011, 917)