Ask the expert: Which individuals should be on the MEC?

An effective medical staff must govern itself, make recommendations regarding the credentialing and privileging of practitioners, and monitor the quality of care provided by practitioners. Keeping these three tasks in mind can help you decide who should serve on the MEC. Most medical staffs elect officers, and these officers are a logical first choice when considering MEC membership. Many medical staffs believe, that because credentialing and quality monitoring are important tasks—and much of the MEC’s business revolves around these two functions—it is prudent to have the chairs of the credentials committee and the medical staff performance improvement committee sit on the MEC, as well. These individuals might vote or may just be regular guests at MEC meetings.

This week’s tip is from The Greeley Guide to Medical Staff Bylaws, Third Edition, by Mary J. Hoppa, published by HCPro.