We've had issues lately with outdated bylaws. How often should we update them?

Most of the bylaws we all operate under are essentially decades old so you're not alone in that regard. However, it is important to review your bylaws annually to make sure they are up to date and still applicable. If a "wholesale review" has not been done in the past five years or more, now is the time to start.

Effective bylaws will help you avoid legal controversies and ensure an acceptable working relationship between the medical staff and the board. CMS, state regulators, and other accrediting agencies are all interested in your hospital following modern bylaws.

If a review has not been done in some time, it may be necessary to create a subcommittee to conduct an overhaul. If this proves onerous, break up the work into sections that can be reviewed over several time periods—perhaps one section each quarter or fiscal year. Be careful not to spread this work out over such a long time frame that you'll have to begin again once you finish!