Getting organized for medical staff meetings

Effective meetings rely on a well-planned agenda. Standing meetings often include the same agenda items each month, which aids the planning process; any follow-up from previous meetings should also be included. The chair of each committee must sign off on the agenda prior to each scheduled committee meeting. Getting committee chairs to review and approve the agenda can be challenging because committee chairs are notoriously busy. Persistence is required, but “the meeting before the meeting” is essential.

Because not all medical staff leaders have administrative experience, careful preparation prior to meetings is an essential component of support. The MSP can refresh the chair’s memory about the previous meeting(s), particularly nuances that may not have appeared in the minutes; review the agenda; and anticipate questions or points of contention. This allows the chair and the MSP to be prepared in advance with any supporting documents or information that may be required.

In some cases, the MSP may be called on to provide information such as a hospital policy or credentialing requirements. MSPs must therefore know how to find this information and be prepared to do so.

Discussing some of these items before the meeting also allows the chair time to meet with potential dissenters in order to gain their perspectives and give them time to hear, and be heard, outside of the meeting—in which time is at a premium.