Streamline your medical staff bylaws

Streamlined bylaws are a fairly concise set of documents articulating the roles of leaders within the organization, how those leaders are selected or replaced, and the overall organizational structure of the medical staff. Eliminate antiquated and unnecessary language and reduce the length and complexity of bylaws to increase the likelihood that physicians will read and understand them.

The bylaws should address such issues as categories of the medical staff, duties and responsiblities of officers, the organization of departments and selection of department chairs, the functions and responsiblities of medical staff committees, meeting requirements, and bylaws adoption and amendment procedures.

The bylaws do not need to contain all details of staff organization and function. Other issues that change frequently, such as policies and procedures and the rules that govern the day-to-day functions of the medical staff, should be addressed in separate manuals. The medical executive committee (MEC) can manage and update these more easily, with input from the whole staff as needed.

Streamlined bylaws make it especially important for medical staffs to have a strong set of policies and procedures governing physician behavior and other issues. Well-drafted medical staff policies and procedures help physician leaders govern fairly and objectively and assist in preventing legal problems, confusion, medical staff turf battles, the impression of governing board "high-handedness," disruption of administrative/medical staff relations, and patient harm.

In addition, a good set of policies and procedures provides clear direction to the chief executive officer, MEC, department and committee chairs, and medical staff members. It also creates a mechanism for consistent governance.

That's all for this week.

All the best,

Rick Sheff, MD