Tip of the week: Streamlining the medical staff categories

Medical staffs often have categories and subcategories to describe the status of physicians who practice at a hospital. However, such subdivision is unnecessary. A medical staff should contain just three general categories:
Honorary: physicians who have been on staff for a long time or who have retired and been honored by the staff and board.
Active: physicians who are fairly active at the hospital and have been on staff for more than a year.
Associate/affiliate provisional: physicians who are not active or are new to the staff.

The medical staff bylaws should outline patient-contact requirements, clinical-privileges eligibility, and other criteria for physicians to qualify for each category. The process should be simple. In today's environment, hospitals need to provide physicians with a great place to practice and a minimum amount of hassle and bureaucracy.

The Medical Executive Committee Handbook, Third Edition, by Mary J. Hoppa, MD, provides information and serves as a guide for MEC members. For more information, click here.