The bylaws are the constitution of the medical staff, and the governance section is the foundation of this constitution. This manual should be clear, succinct, and user-friendly and should also include answers to the following questions.
Many bylaws documents begin with a preamble or introduction. There is no requirement for this component, and it frequently adds unnecessary bulk to the document. If a preamble is included, the medical staff should customize it to reflect any unique attributes of the hospital, community, and...
Credentialing Resource Center Journal - Volume 28, Issue 7
A new report released by the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) says its surveyors found that in 2018, healthcare organizations had the most problems with the development of policies, alignment of procedures, and completion of assessments.
In 2018, at the annual conference of the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), the House of Delegates voted in favor of investigating a potential title change for physician assistants (PA). The vote indicated only that alternatives would be explored, not that the PA...
Credentialing Resource Center Journal - Volume 28, Issue 7
As the healthcare environment evolves, the functions of the medical staff services department (MSSD) change to meet the needs of the hospital and its medical staff. Currently, many MSPs find themselves restructuring their credentialing process or the MSSD in order to become a delegated...
The medical executive committee (MEC) is the only committee required for an organized medical staff, according to Joint Commission standards. Despite their arguments to the contrary, however, few modern healthcare organizations could survive with only one committee. A variety of other committees...
Credentialing Resource Center Journal - Volume 28, Issue 6
In May, the AMA announced the hiring of its first chief health equity officer, Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH. Maybank previously served as deputy commissioner and founding director of the Center for Health Equity within the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Tucked away at the end of most medical staff bylaws is a section titled along the lines of “Review, Revision, Adoption, and Amendment.” While it may seem odd to start our discussion at the end, this section gets to the heart of your medical staff culture and how your bylaws and related documents...
Credentialing Resource Center Journal - Volume 28, Issue 6
The United States District Court of Texas, El Paso division (the “Court”), denied Tenet Hospitals’ motion to dismiss a plaintiff’s Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) claim, finding that a hospital’s failure to abide by its own screening procedures constitutes a valid...
