{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/32.1-134.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/32.1-134.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/32.1-134.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/32.1-134.1.html"}],"law_id":65119,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65119,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-134.1","catch_line":"When denial, etc., to duly licensed physician of staff membership or professional privileges improper","history":"1979, c. 711; 2025, cc. 166, 180.","full_text":"It shall be an improper practice for the governing body of a hospital that has 25 beds or more and that is required by state law to be licensed to refuse or fail to act within 60 days of a completed application for staff membership or professional privileges or deny or withhold from a duly licensed physician staff membership or professional privileges in such hospital, or to exclude or expel a physician from staff membership in such hospital or curtail, terminate or diminish in any way a physician’s professional privileges in such hospital, without stating in writing the reason or reasons therefor, a copy of which shall be provided to the physician. If the reason or reasons stated are unrelated to standards of patient care, patient welfare, violation of the rules and regulations of the institution or staff, the objectives or efficient operations of the institution, or the character or competency of the applicant, or misconduct in any hospital, it shall be deemed an improper practice.\n\t\tAny physician licensed in the Commonwealth to practice medicine who is aggrieved by any violation of this section shall have the right to seek an injunction from the circuit court of the city or county in which the hospital alleged to have violated this section is located prohibiting any such further violation. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to impair or affect any other right or remedy, provided that a violation of this section shall not constitute a violation of the provisions of this article for the purposes of \u00a7\u00a7 32.1-27.3 and 32.1-135.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":236942,"text":"It shall be an improper practice for the governing body of a hospital that has 25 beds or more and that is required by state law to be licensed to refuse or fail to act within 60 days of a completed application for staff membership or professional privileges or deny or withhold from a duly licensed physician staff membership or professional privileges in such hospital, or to exclude or expel a physician from staff membership in such hospital or curtail, terminate or diminish in any way a physician’s professional privileges in such hospital, without stating in writing the reason or reasons therefor, a copy of which shall be provided to the physician. If the reason or reasons stated are unrelated to standards of patient care, patient welfare, violation of the rules and regulations of the institution or staff, the objectives or efficient operations of the institution, or the character or competency of the applicant, or misconduct in any hospital, it shall be deemed an improper practice.\n\t\tAny physician licensed in the Commonwealth to practice medicine who is aggrieved by any violation of this section shall have the right to seek an injunction from the circuit court of the city or county in which the hospital alleged to have violated this section is located prohibiting any such further violation. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to impair or affect any other right or remedy, provided that a violation of this section shall not constitute a violation of the provisions of this article for the purposes of \u00a7\u00a7 32.1-27.3 and 32.1-135.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":12729,"edition_id":1,"name":"Hospital and Nursing Home Licensure and Inspection","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12728,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":202857,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12729,"identifier":"1","token":"32.1\/5\/1","url":"\/32.1\/5\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12728,"edition_id":1,"name":"Regulation of Medical Care Facilities and Services","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12727,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":202855,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12728,"identifier":"5","token":"32.1\/5","url":"\/32.1\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12727,"edition_id":1,"name":"Health","identifier":"32.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":201099,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12727,"identifier":"32.1","token":"32.1","url":"\/32.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":80727,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-123","catch_line":"(Effective January 1, 2026) Definitions","url":"\/32.1-123\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-123","metadata":false},{"id":75042,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-124","catch_line":"Exemptions","url":"\/32.1-124\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-124","metadata":false},{"id":58545,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-125","catch_line":"Establishment or operation of hospitals and nursing homes prohibited without license or certification; licenses not transferable","url":"\/32.1-125\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-125","metadata":false},{"id":63548,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-125.01","catch_line":"Failing to report; penalty","url":"\/32.1-125.01\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-125.01","metadata":false},{"id":59071,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-125.1","catch_line":"Inspection of hospitals by state agencies generally","url":"\/32.1-125.1\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-125.1","metadata":false},{"id":78537,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-125.2","catch_line":"Disclosure of other providers of services","url":"\/32.1-125.2\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-125.2","metadata":false},{"id":58917,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-125.3","catch_line":"Bed capacity and licensure in hospitals designated as critical access hospitals; designation as rural hospital","url":"\/32.1-125.3\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-125.3","metadata":false},{"id":55275,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-125.4","catch_line":"Retaliation or discrimination against complainants","url":"\/32.1-125.4\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-125.4","metadata":false},{"id":70129,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-125.5","catch_line":"Confidentiality of complainant's identity","url":"\/32.1-125.5\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-125.5","metadata":false},{"id":60850,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-126","catch_line":"Commissioner to inspect and to issue licenses to or assure compliance with certification requirements for hospitals, nursing homes, and certified nursing facilities; 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restriction or prohibition of new admissions to certified nursing facility","url":"\/32.1-135\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-135","metadata":false},{"id":77485,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-135.1","catch_line":"Certain advertisements prohibited","url":"\/32.1-135.1\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-135.1","metadata":false},{"id":83084,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-135.2","catch_line":"Offer or payment of remuneration in exchange for referral prohibited","url":"\/32.1-135.2\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-135.2","metadata":false},{"id":53943,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-136","catch_line":"Violation; penalties","url":"\/32.1-136\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-136","metadata":false},{"id":68332,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-137","catch_line":"Certification of medical care facilities under Title XVIII of Social Security Act","url":"\/32.1-137\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-137","metadata":false},{"id":59084,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-137.01","catch_line":"Posting of charity care policies","url":"\/32.1-137.01\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-137.01","metadata":false},{"id":76816,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-137.010","catch_line":"Financial assistance; 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advance estimate of patient payment amount for elective procedure, test, or service","url":"\/32.1-137.05\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-137.05","metadata":false},{"id":65804,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-137.06","catch_line":"Lyme disease test result information","url":"\/32.1-137.06\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-137.06","metadata":false},{"id":61126,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-137.07","catch_line":"Violations of certain provisions; penalty","url":"\/32.1-137.07\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-137.07","metadata":false},{"id":81633,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-137.08","catch_line":"Medical care facilities; persons with disabilities; designated support persons","url":"\/32.1-137.08\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-137.08","metadata":false},{"id":80169,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-137.09","catch_line":"Hospital emergency department CPT code data reporting","url":"\/32.1-137.09\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-137.09","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":70187,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-134.03","catch_line":"Maternal health; protocols and resources for hospitals and outpatient providers; report","url":"\/32.1-134.03\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-134.03","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71090,"structure_id":12729,"section_number":"32.1-134.2","catch_line":"Clinical privileges for certain practitioners","url":"\/32.1-134.2\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-134.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/32.1-134.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1979. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 711 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1979 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2025, chapters 166<\/a> and 180<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":75670,"section_number":"32.1-135","catch_line":"Revocation or suspension of license or certification of hospital or certified nursing facility; restriction or prohibition of new admissions to certified nursing facility","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-135\/"},{"id":77478,"section_number":"32.1-27.3","catch_line":"Sanctions; civil penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/32.1-27.3\/"}],"permalink":{"id":203015,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65119,"identifier":"32.1-134.1","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-134.1","url":"\/32.1-134.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/32.1-134.1\/","token":"32.1\/5\/1\/32.1-134.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"When denial, etc., to duly licensed physician of staff membership or professional privileges improper","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 32.1-134.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be an improper practice for the governing body of a hospital<\/span> that has 25 beds or more and that is required by state law<\/span> to be licensed to refuse or fail to act within 60 days of a completed application for staff membership or professional privileges<\/span> or deny or withhold from a duly licensed physician staff membership or professional privileges<\/span> in such hospital<\/span>, or to exclude or expel a physician from staff membership in such hospital<\/span> or curtail, terminate or diminish in any way a physician’s professional privileges<\/span> in such hospital<\/span>, without stating in writing the reason or reasons therefor, a copy of which shall be provided to the physician. If the reason or reasons stated are unrelated to standards of patient care, patient welfare, violation of the rules and regulations of the institution or staff, the objectives or efficient operations of the institution, or the character or competency of the applicant, or misconduct in any hospital<\/span>, it shall be deemed an improper practice.\n\t\tAny physician licensed in the Commonwealth to practice medicine who is aggrieved by any violation of this section shall have the right to seek an injunction<\/span> from the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> of the city or county in which the hospital<\/span> alleged to have violated this section is located prohibiting any such further violation. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to impair or affect any other right or remedy, provided that a violation of this section shall not constitute a violation of the provisions of this article for the purposes of \u00a7\u00a7 32.1-27.3<\/a> and 32.1-135<\/a>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWHEN DENIAL, ETC., TO DULY LICENSED PHYSICIAN OF STAFF MEMBERSHIP OR\nPROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGES IMPROPER (\u00a7 32.1-134.1)\n\nIt shall be an improper practice for the governing body of a hospital that has\n25 beds or more and that is required by state law to be licensed to refuse or\nfail to act within 60 days of a completed application for staff membership or\nprofessional privileges or deny or withhold from a duly licensed physician staff\nmembership or professional privileges in such hospital, or to exclude or expel a\nphysician from staff membership in such hospital or curtail, terminate or\ndiminish in any way a physician’s professional privileges in such\nhospital, without stating in writing the reason or reasons therefor, a copy of\nwhich shall be provided to the physician. If the reason or reasons stated are\nunrelated to standards of patient care, patient welfare, violation of the rules\nand regulations of the institution or staff, the objectives or efficient\noperations of the institution, or the character or competency of the applicant,\nor misconduct in any hospital, it shall be deemed an improper practice.\n\t\tAny physician licensed in the Commonwealth to practice medicine who is\naggrieved by any violation of this section shall have the right to seek an\ninjunction from the circuit court of the city or county in which the hospital\nalleged to have violated this section is located prohibiting any such further\nviolation. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to impair or\naffect any other right or remedy, provided that a violation of this section\nshall not constitute a violation of the provisions of this article for the\npurposes of \u00a7\u00a7 32.1-27.3 and 32.1-135.\n\nHISTORY: 1979, c. 711; 2025, cc. 166, 180.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}