Ask the expert: What are some of the dos and don'ts of developing a code of conduct policy?

Gaining buy in from your medical staff is one of the most important steps of implementing a successful code of conduct policy. Follow these tips for steps to take, and others to avoid:

Do:

• Distribute a draft of the medical staff’s behavior expectations before they are finalized
• Ensure a long lead time for discussing draft expectations before the medical staff votes on them
• Encourage constructive criticism and input on the draft expectations from every physician
• Assign an individual to speak directly and privately with each formal and informal opinion leader
• Incorporate changes to the draft expectations that are recommended by physicians who weren’t involved in developing the initial draft
• Communicate openly about the process at every step

Don’t:

• Bring a set of expectations or a behavior policy to a vote without extensive discussion with physicians beforehand
• Count on the board to draft and adopt a physician behavior policy without lots of physician input and dialogue in advance
• Ignore physicians who are angry or unhappy about the expectations and behavior policy, thinking they will just go away
• Try to get expectations or a behavior policy adopted in a hurry; doing so will truncate thorough discussion and lead physicians to feel disenfranchised

This week’s question and answer are from A Practical Guide to Managing Disruptive and Impaired Physicians by R. Dean White, DDS, MS, and Jonathan H. Burroughs, MD, MBA, FACPE, CMSL.