Polish your conflict of interest policy

By having your medical staff members fill out a conflict of interest disclosure form every year, the medical staff will be kept abreast of any relationships that might be considered a conflict.

The following is sample conflict of interest policy language you can customize for your own organization’s needs:

At least annually, each physician serving in an elected or appointed position in the organized medical staff shall complete a conflict-of-interest disclosure form identifying any activities, interests, relationships, or financial holdings that create or have the potential to create a conflict of interest for the physician in carrying out the responsibilities of that position.

When an issue comes before the individual physician as a result of serving in a position in the organized medical staff, such as a department chair or member of a committee, to which an actual or potential conflict of interest may be relevant, the physician shall disclose the conflict of interest prior to participating in consideration of that issue. Such disclosure shall include any conflicts of interest that may have developed since the physician’s previous completion of the conflict-of-interest disclosure form.