Employed physicians as medical staff members: Managing marginal performance

Medical staff leaders need to understand that the path followed for non-conformance by employed physicians may follow a different process than that outlined in medical staff documents. A best practice is to develop a clear policy for how the more common performance issues will be handled. This policy is concerned with “who does what.” Here is what such a policy might look like in your organization for clinical care concerns:

"Any clinical care concern involving imminent patient safety shall be handled in accordance with the medical staff bylaws. This policy addresses the routine ongoing professional practice evaluation of clinical care. Case review, evaluation, and recommendations shall be in accordance with the medical staff peer review process. Additionally, any evaluation or information concerning the clinical performance of an employed practitioner gathered through this peer review process shall be shared with the hospital/employed physician group through a formal peer review sharing agreement. All information shared shall remain confidential and privileged to the fullest extent allowed by applicable law. Each agrees to notify the other of any event that raises a significant question about a practitioner's ability to safely and competently care for patients."

Source: Medical Staff Briefing