Ohio Administrative Code
Title 3335 - Ohio State University
Chapter 3335-111 - CHRI In General
Section 3335-111-06 - Hearing and appellate review procedure

(1) When a member of the medical staff has exhausted remedies under paragraph (F) of rule 3335-111-04 of the Administrative Code on reappointments; or under rule 3335-111-05 of the Administrative Code for corrective action; or who has been summarily suspended under paragraph (D) of rule 3335-111-05 of the Administrative Code, the staff member shall be entitled to an adjudicatory hearing.

(2) A medical staff member shall not be entitled to a hearing under the following circumstances:

(3) All hearings and appellate reviews shall be in accordance with the procedural safeguards set forth in this rule to assure that the affected medical staff member is accorded all rights to which the member is entitled.

(1) The request for a hearing shall be submitted in writing by the affected medical staff member to the chief executive officer within thirty days of notifications by the chief executive officer of the intended action. The chief executive officer shall forward the request to the medical staff administrative committee along with instructions to convene a hearing.

(2) The failure of a medical staff member to request a hearing to which the member is entitled by university bylaws within the time and in the manner herein provided, shall be deemed a waiver of the member's right to any review by the medical staff administrative committee to which the member might otherwise been entitled. The chief executive officer shall then implement the decision and that action shall become and remain effective against the medical staff member in the same manner as a final decision of the Wexner medical center board as provided for in paragraph (E) of this rule. The chief executive officer shall promptly inform the affected medical staff member that the proposed decision, which had entitled the medical staff member to a hearing, has now become final.

(1) After receipt of a timely request for hearing by the chief executive officer from a medical staff member entitled to such hearing, the medical staff administrative committee shall be notified of the request for hearing by the chief executive officer, and shall at the next scheduled meeting take the following action:

(2) The medical staff member shall be given at least ten days prior notice of the scheduled hearing, provided that the medical staff member may waive this notice in writing. Notice shall be by certified return receipt mail to the staff member at the staff member's last known address as reflected by university records. The notice of hearing shall state in concise language the acts or omissions with which the medical staff member is charged; a list of representative medical records or documents being used; names of potential witnesses to be called; and any other reason or evidence that may be considered by the hearing committee during the hearing.

(1) The hearing committee shall select a chairperson from the committee to preside over the hearing. The chairperson may require a representative for the individual and for the medical staff administrative committee (or the Wexner medical center board) to participate in a pre-hearing conference. At the pre-hearing conference, the chairperson shall resolve all procedural questions, including any objections to exhibits or witnesses, the role of legal counsel, and determine the time to be allotted to each witness's testimony and cross-examination. The hearing committee shall have benefit of Ohio state university legal counsel. The hearing committee may grant continuances, recesses, and the chairperson may excuse a member of the hearing committee from attendance temporarily for good cause, provided that there shall be at no time less than two members of the hearing committee present unless the affected staff member waives this requirement.

All members of the hearing committee must be present to deliberate and vote. No member may vote by proxy. The person who has taken the action from which the affected staff member has requested the hearing shall not participate in the deliberation or voting of the hearing committee. The hearing shall be a de novo hearing, although evidence of the prior recommendations and decisions may be presented.

(2) An accurate record of the hearing shall be kept. The record shall be done by the use of a professional stenographer. This record shall be available to the affected member of the medical staff upon request at the affected member's expense.

(3) The personal presence of the medical staff member for whom the hearing has been scheduled shall be required. A medical staff member who fails without good cause to appear and proceed at such hearing shall be deemed to have waived the right to appear and to have a hearing before the medical staff administrative committee in the same manner as provided in paragraph (B) of this rule, and to have accepted the adverse recommendation or decision involved and the same shall therein become and remain in effect as provided in paragraph (B) of this rule. The hearing committee may, at its own discretion, proceed with the hearing without the medical staff member and impose a sanction.

(4) Postponements of hearings beyond the time set forth in this chapter shall be made only with the approval of the medical staff administrative committee. Granting of such postponement shall be only for good cause shown.

(5) The hearing need not be conducted strictly according to the rules of law related to the examination of witnesses or presentation of evidence. Any relevant matters upon which responsible persons customarily rely in the conduct of serious affairs shall be considered, regardless of the existence of any common law or statutory rule which might make evidence inadmissible over objection in civil or criminal action. The member of the medical staff for whom the hearing is being held shall, prior to, or during the hearing, be entitled to submit memoranda concerning any issues of procedure or of fact and such memoranda shall become a part of the hearing record.

(6) The affected medical staff member shall have the following rights: to be represented by an attorney at law and to call and examine witnesses; to introduce evidence; to cross-examine any witnesses on any matter relevant to the issue of the hearing; and to challenge any witness and to rebut any evidence. If the medical staff member does not testify in his/her own behalf, the member may be called and examined as if under cross-examination.

(7) The hearing committee shall request the person who has taken the action from which the affected medical staff member has requested the hearing to present evidence to the hearing committee in support of the adverse recommendation. The hearing committee may proceed to hear evidence and testimony from either party in whatever order the hearing committee deems appropriate. The hearing committee may call its own witnesses, may recall any party's witnesses, and may question witnesses as it deems appropriate. All parties shall be responsible to secure the attendance of their own witnesses. All witnesses and evidence received by the hearing committee shall be open to challenge and cross-examination by the parties. Witnesses shall not be placed under oath. At the close of the evidence the hearing committee may request each party to make summary statements, either oral or written.

(8) The hearing committee may, without special notice, recess the hearing and reconvene the same for the convenience of the participants or for the purpose of obtaining new or additional evidence or consultation. The hearing committee shall make its best effort to expeditiously determine the issues presented. The hearing committee may limit its proceedings when sufficient material has been received. The parties may be required to provide evidence in oral or written form. Upon conclusion of the presentation of evidence the hearing shall be closed. The hearing committee may there upon, at a time convenient to itself, conduct its deliberations outside the presence of the medical staff member for whom the hearing was convened.

(9) Within sixty days after its appointment, unless otherwise extended by the medical staff administrative committee, the hearing committee shall forward its written report and recommendation together with the transcript of the hearing and all other documentation presented by the parties to the medical staff administrative committee. The affected member shall be notified of the recommendation of the hearing committee including a statement of the basis for the recommendation.

The medical staff administrative committee shall accept, reject, or modify the recommendation of the hearing committee. The medical staff administrative committee may conduct further hearings as it deems necessary or may remand the matter back to the hearing committee for further action as directed. The medical staff administrative committee may impose a greater or lesser sanction than that recommended by the hearing committee.

(10) Within fourteen days after the conclusion of the taking of all evidence and of all hearings, the medical staff administrative committee shall make a written report of its findings and its recommendation and shall forward the same together with the hearings record and all other documentation to the chairperson of the Wexner medical center board. Notice of that decision shall be sent certified return receipt mail to the affected medical staff member at the member's last known address as determined by university records by the director.

(11) The decision and record of the medical staff administrative committee shall be transmitted to the quality and professional affairs committee of the Wexner medical center board, which shall, subject to the affected member's right to appeal and implementation of paragraph (E) of this rule, consider the matter at its next scheduled meeting, or at a special meeting to be held no less than thirty days following receipt of the transmittal. The quality and professional affairs committee of the Wexner medical center board may accept, reject, or modify the decision of the medical staff administrative committee.

(12) The recommendation of the quality and professional affairs committee of the Wexner medical center board shall be promptly considered by the Wexner medical center board at its next scheduled meeting. The Wexner medical center board may accept, reject, or modify the recommendation of the quality and professional affairs committee of the Wexner medical center board.

(13) A copy of the Wexner medical center board decision shall be sent by certified return receipt mail to the affected medical staff member at the member's last known address as determined by university records.

(1) Within thirty days after receipt of a notice by an affected medical staff member of the action of the medical staff administrative committee the staff member may, by written notice to the chairperson of the Wexner medical center board, request an appeal. Such appeal shall only be held on the record before the medical staff administrative committee.

(2) If an appeal is not requested within the thirty-day period, the affected medical staff member shall be deemed to have waived the right to an appeal, and to have accepted such adverse decision.

(3) The appeal shall be conducted by the quality and professional affairs committee of the Wexner medical center board.

(4) The affected medical staff member shall have access to the reports and records, including transcripts, if any, of the medical staff administrative committee and all other material, favorable or unfavorable, that have been considered by that committee. The member shall then submit a written factual statement specifying those factual and procedural matters with which the member disagrees, and the reasons for such disagreement. This written statement may cover any matters raised at any step in the procedure to which the appeal is related, and legal counsel may assist in its preparation. Such written statement shall be submitted to the quality and professional affairs committee of the Wexner medical center board no later than seven days following the date of the affected member's notice of appeal.

(5) New or additional matters not raised during the hearing procedure or in the medical staff administrative committee hearings shall only be introduced on appeal at the sole discretion of the quality and professional affairs committee of the Wexner medical center board.

(6) Within fourteen days following submission of the written statement by the affected medical staff member, the quality and professional affairs committee shall recommend to the Wexner medical center board that the adverse decision be affirmed, modified or rejected, or to refer the matter back to the medical staff administrative committee for further review and recommendation. Such referral to the medical staff administrative committee may include a request for further investigation.

(7) Any final decision by the Wexner medical center board shall be communicated by the chief executive officer by certified return receipt mail to the affected medical staff member at the member's last known address as determined by university records. The chief executive officer shall also notify in writing the executive vice president for health sciences, the dean of the college of medicine, the chief medical officer of OSU medical center, the vice president for health services, the director of medical affairs, chief of staff, the department chairperson and/or division director, clinical department chief and the academic department chairperson and the person(s) who initiated the request for formal peer review. The chief executive officer shall take immediate steps to implement the final decision.