Follow up after the MEC meeting

In previous issues we have discussed appropriate agenda preparation for Medical Executive Committee (MEC) meetings as well as the use of consent agendas. This week's topic is about follow-up after an MEC meeting is held.

If you are a medical staff leader, you may think that follow-up as a result of an MEC meeting is not your job. You may not write follow-up letters (you might sign them-but not write them!) and it is undoubtedly not your responsibility to write the minutes, etc. However, as a medical staff leader, you will want to know-and participate in-effective and clear communication to various constituencies about the important outcomes of an MEC meeting.

One of those constituencies is the hospital board. The board must be informed of MEC actions-and a well-prepared report to the board that summarizes MEC recommendations is critical to the board's understanding of what has been recommended and why. These recommendations include those related to credentialing (new appointments, reappointments, criteria for clinical privileges, etc.), policies (for example, a new policy on practitioner behavior), and other initiatives that indicate that the MEC is doing its job in leading the medical staff organization, and addressing regulatory, patient safety and other important issues.

Instead of just submitting an entire new or revised policy to the Board, it would be helpful to summarize the key concepts-and perhaps prepare a brief presentation containing those key concepts-to facilitate the Board's understanding of the issues involved. The medical staff professional (MSP) at your organization should assist medical staff leaders to prepare summarized reports and Powerpoint presentations (when indicated) that lead to succinct, informative reports to the Board.

In addition, the MEC should communicate with medical staff members. In the past, communication was based on the belief that department chairs (who attended MEC meetings) would go back to their respective departments and announce to the department members what transpired at MEC meetings. Or, the Chief of Staff would give a verbal report at the monthly general staff meeting (anyone remember those meetings?). I think that we can all agree that these are not effective ways to communicate in most of today's medical staff organizations. Medical staff members don't get together at general staff meetings or department meetings often enough to be able to rely on this type of verbal communication.

Some of you still publish medical staff newsletters. Others of you use medical staff organization web sites as a way to communicate information to medical staff members. You may want to ask your medical staff members how they would be prefer to receive their communication and go with the majority.

Give some thought to how your organization communicates with the Board and with medical staff organization members and make sure that you are not neglecting to "close the loop" after MEC meetings. Make sure that the actions and recommendations made by the MEC are disseminated to those individuals and groups who need to be informed.