This month we examine the increasing use of performance evaluations for medical staff leaders—both elected and appointed. It is important to start with why a performance evaluation system should be considered.
Although the goals of competency assessment are the same for advanced practice professionals (APP) and physicians, the way in which the medical staff goes about it may differ. The medical staff should work with APPs to develop the process, which may include defining specific quality indicators...
With over 100,000 physician assistants (PA) in practice and predictions that the number will continue to grow, healthcare organizations are increasingly relying on these practitioners to fill patient-care needs. This means that like with physicians, it is up to the medical staff to monitor and...
The use of temporary privileges is necessary but should be at best limited. Some organizations, however, continue to fall into the habit of overusing this option. If your organization consistently relies on temporary privileges as a means of privileging, the question that must be asked is—why?...
When the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act was enacted in 1986, it contained the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). Under EMTALA, hospitals are to ensure public access to emergency services regardless of ability to pay. Section 1867 of the Social Security Act...
As the value of “value” increases in healthcare, organizations must look at all means of increasing safety, quality, access, and cost. One entity that cannot be ignored is the EHR.
“Digitization needs to be viewed as an enabler to safety, quality, and value,” says Robert Watcher,...
Are medical staff leadership positions voluntary or compensated? If they are compensated, who pays? Once again, the approach and answer to these questions are a direct reflection of an organization’s culture, as there are no prescriptions on how to do this nor is there one way to accomplish this...
Nobody likes a bully, and as we all know, bullies can come in many shapes and sizes. In the healthcare setting, bullying is a disruptive behavior that threatens the safety and well-being of both patients and staff.
The term “benchmark” originates from the chiseled horizontal marks surveyors made in stone structures, into which an angle-iron was placed to form a “bench” for a leveling rod for accurate future use. The meaning came from a long tract of level, elevated land called a bench. More recently, this...
