Tip of the week: Keep a written log of physician performance

An individual responsible for managing physician employees should keep an ongoing log to track each physician’s performance because no one can rely on memory to accurately capture and track multiple dimensions of physician performance. If the physician is involved in an adverse event immediately before the performance appraisal, the manager can look back at the log to get an overall picture of the physician’s performance rather than letting the single incident influence the appraisal. This information is not “peer review” done through the organized medical staff process, but rather an HR document that may be subject to disclosure depending on state law.

This week’s tip is from The Greeley Guide to Physician Employment and Contracting by William K. Cors, MD, MMM, FACPE, CMSL and Richard A. Sheff, MD, CMSL.