Ask the Expert: What should our medical staff leader job description include?

A medical facility's culture, size, and location (urban or rural) will dictate the specifics of medical staff leaders' duties, but all medical staff leader job descriptions should contain some common criteria. Relaying the following during the recruiting process will set clear expectations for the available position(s):

• The mandatory prerequisites of the position, including education, skills, and experience
• The medical staff leader's responsibilities 
• To whom the medical staff leader is accountable
• The expectations for each responsibility
• The financial and non-financial rewards and recognition associated with the position
• The burdens, challenges, time commitments, and risks associated with the position
• The medical staff leader's role (if any) in leadership succession, including the selection, orientation, and development of new leaders

For more information on medical staff leader job descriptions, please see The Medical Staff Leaders' Practical Guide, Sixth Edition, written by William Cors, MD, MMM, FACPE; Mary J. Hoppa, MD, MBA; and Richard Sheff, MD.