Tip of the week: Develop a medical staff communication plan

Medical staff leaders need to communicate with multiple stakeholders-the medical staff, the hospital administration, the governing board, and the community. A comprehensive communication plan must include multiple modalities, approaches, and channels to communication.
Some of those include:

• A physician newsletter distributed in the medical staff lounge and sent to all physicians
• A medical staff Web page that is continuously updated with news and items of interest to the medical staff
• A letter, fax, or e-mail sent regularly to medical staff members informing them of key issues and decisions
• A quick flash briefing letter that addresses timely issues that need immediate input from medical staff members
• A medical staff telephone hotline so that physicians can discuss suggestions and concerns in private
• An idea board at all meetings so that questions, issues, and suggestions can be solicited, recorded, and researched prior to the next meeting

Learn more about improving your communication skills in Medical Staff Leaders' Practical Guide, Sixth Edition, by William K. Cors, MD, MMM, FACPE; Mary J. Hoppa, MD, MBA, and Richard A. Sheff, MD, published by HCPro, Inc.