The hospitalist movement has changed the dynamics of leadership. Traditionally, physicians who had upward of 20 years of clinical experience and were nearing retirement were chosen as leaders, sometimes regardless of their capacity to do the job well. Today, thanks to the under-40 crowd that is...
Hospitals often find that the people who have the experience and expertise to assist with high-stakes projects are not at the table because they aren’t in medical staff leadership positions, either by choice or because of the democratic nature of MEC elections. This problem can be alleviated by...
Although the peer review coordinator is involved throughout the case review process, the coordinator has the primary responsibility at the beginning of case review and through the following four steps: case identification, case screening, review preparation, and physician reviewer assignment. It...
The benefits of a criteria-based core privileging system need to be emphasized and demonstrated from the start. It is absolutely essential to be able to quantify the benefits that your organization would gain by transitioning from the current privileging system to a criteria-based core...
Cultivating influence means doing so well with what we actually control that we are able to influence things in which we have an interest but do not control.
The way an organization handles conflict is often determined by its culture. A good starting point is to be consciously aware of your organization's primary approach to conflict.
Medical staff offices (MSO) are an intense hub of activity, and if the MSO is incorporated into a hospital's medical affairs office, the hub of activity increases exponentially. How the medical affairs department views the MSO's departmental position in the organization can be as positively...
The CMS Conditions of Participation (CoP) and The Joint Commission are in complete agreement on this one: Medical staff departments are not required. The CoPs require a "well organized" medical staff. The Joint Commission requires an "organized self-governed medical staff." The Joint Commission...
Author's note: Over time, many medical staff governance decisions have become commonplace, even the ones that are unnecessary. This series examines some of the more prevalent myths and misconceptions, delineates what is required and what is not, and offers trends and best...
