Don't take the bait

Overreacting to a letter of complaint from a member of your medical staff may simply exacerbate a situation. Consider the following: A frustrated medical staff member writes a long letter to the chief of staff demanding that the medical staff bylaws be amended to eliminate the malpractice insurance requirement. The letter explains the increasing unfairness of the malpractice situation for hard-working physicians and the collusion between the medical executive committee (MEC) and the board of directors, "which must be illegal and immoral siding with the enemy." 

The author contends that the requirement is illegal, and many hospitals have eliminated these requirements to retain good physicians on their medical staffs. The physician also asserts that he or she has discussed the issue with an attorney, and threatens to take legal action if the bylaws are not amended.  

A chief of staff may seek counsel from the hospital's attorney or CEO as he or she drafts a response to this letter. In the response, the chief of staff may attempt to explain to the irate physician that most hospitals require medical malpractice insurance, and the legal system has found that such requirements are not unfair restraints of trade. The response might also state that both the MEC and the chief of staff would be glad to sit down with the physician to rationally discuss the issue. 

Unfortunately, such a response often solicits yet another long response from the angry physician. Consider an alternative response. Send the physician your organization's bylaws amendment procedure, and invite him or her to "knock him- or herself out."