CMS revises medical staff, governing board regulations for multi-hospital systems

Multi-hospital systems will be allowed to use a unified and integrated medical staff structure, according to revised Conditions of Participation (CoP) published this week by the CMS.

The CMS cited the lack of evidence that a unified medical staff model is detrimental to patients’ quality of care as a major factor in its decision to reverse the prohibition. The revised CoP allows hospitals and their staffs to choose between a single system-wide medical staff, or individual, independent medical staffs at each hospital. 

The CMS also upheld its decision to allow a single governing body to oversee a multi-hospital system. However, the requirement that a member of the medical staff from serve on the governing board has been rescinded. Instead, governing boards are required to directly consult with medical staff leadership of each hospital.