Even before the new Joint Commission standards, these Medical Staff leaders often struggled to get the required work done. With the increased workload resulting from the new standards, it is time to re-examine how the Medical Staff is organized to perform its required functions.
Join Susan Lapenta, Phil Zarone, Ian Donaldson & Dr. John Guehl as they discuss a variety of issues that challenge the Medical Staff and offer practical solutions to these issues. Topics include:
Identifying, nominating and selecting qualified leaders: Medical Staff leadership positions are too important to leave nominations to chance. Nominations from the floor should be a thing of the past.
Stop (or at least slow) the revolving door: Extend the terms of office for critical Medical Staff positions.
Is it time to pay Medical Staff leaders? If so, who gets paid, how much and by whom?
Educating leaders: No one learns leadership skills in medical school or residency training. The same is true of critical Medical Staff functions like credentialing, peer review, and patient safety. Effective leaders need to be taught what to do and how to do it.
Medical Staff Leadership Council: Develop a formal structure to use past leaders effectively.
Providing Medical Staff leaders with the right tools: Whether it is secretarial help, updated software or new and updated bylaws, policies, and procedures, the Hospital must make a commitment to assist Medical Staff leaders to get the job done right efficiently and effectively.
Active Staff: Is it time to change the definition of the "Active Staff" and include physicians who may not have an active clinical practice but who are willing to devote time to key Medical Staff functions?
Honorary Staff: Consider tapping these experienced physicians for Medical Staff functions that they are interested in and skilled at performing.
Attendance requirements: Does it really make sense to require physicians to attend meetings they do not want to attend? Do fines, relinquishment of voting rights, or relinquishment of privileges ever work? Are there other options?
Sharing the load: Does it really work to require all staff members to participate in key functions like credentialing and peer review?
Meetings: How often should the Medical Staff meet and what business, if any, should be conducted at such meetings?
Quorum requirements: Find the right balance so work gets done, but important matters are not hijacked.
