Hospital Practice News

Website, report examine patient transitions of care

A new portal from the Joint Commission focusing on transitions of care features the first in a series of reports that will communicate efforts to improve the effectiveness of how patients are transitioned between health care organizations.

The report, "Transitions of Care: The need for a more effective approach to continuing patient care," defines the issues affecting transitions of care and highlights the elements of some current evidence-based, transitions-of-care models.

The portal and report are part of a three-year initiative by the Joint Commission enterprise—made up of the Joint Commission, Joint Commission Resources and the Center for Transforming Healthcare. The initiative aims to define methods for achieving improvement in the effectiveness of the transitions of patients between health care organizations, which provide for the continuation of safe, quality care for patients in all settings.

All three components of the enterprise will offer various interventions and resources that are designed collectively to improve transitions of care. The interventions would apply to the Joint Commission's accreditation programs for hospitals, critical access hospitals, behavioral health care, home care, long-term care and ambulatory care settings.

CME activities are among education program webcasts

Learn about physician leadership, engaging members of the medical staff to improve quality and the future of the medical staff organization by viewing new webcasts from the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section. Physicians can claim continuing medical education (CME) credit for watching the webcasts. Titles include:

• "Doing the right thing for our patients: leading as a professional" (1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™)
• "Engaging members of the medical staff to measure and improve quality" (1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™)
• "Future of the medical staff: strategies for re-engineering governance and operations to advance clinical and strategic imperatives" (1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™)

AMA members can view these webcasts for free; nonmembers can watch them for $30 per credit hour. If you're not an AMA member, join today.

View AMA-OMSS meeting materials

Highlights from this year's AMA Organized Medical Staff Section (OMSS) Annual Assembly Meeting are now posted online. Materials include the official meeting proceedings, a meeting summary and PowerPoint presentation summarizing the actions of the AMA-OMSS Assembly and the programs presented at the meeting. The meeting took place June 14–16 in Chicago prior to the Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates.

This year's AMA-OMSS Interim Assembly Meeting will take place Nov. 8–10 in Honolulu. Watch AMA Wire and the AMA-OMSS Interim Assembly Meeting Web page for details.

Guide can help physicians draft bylaws for medical staff

Medical staffs looking to draft or amend bylaws can use the fifth edition of the AMA's "Physician's Guide to Medical Staff Organization Bylaws." This valuable reference manual contains bylaws language that supports self-governance, addresses Joint Commission standard MS.01.01.01 and offers guidance on emerging issues in health care that impact the medical staff. AMA members have free access to the guide. If you're not a member, join today.

AMA offers expert guidance to employed physicians

Two new resources from the AMA aim to meet the unique needs of physicians who maintain employment or contractual relationships with hospitals, health systems and other entities.

The AMA's Physician Assistance Service answers physicians' questions and provides advice on physician-hospital issues such as employment and contracting, medical staff bylaws, credentialing, peer review, due process and medical staff self-governance. While the AMA cannot provide legal opinions or representation, it can provide assistance to physicians in matters pertaining to their relationships with hospitals, health systems, and other similar entities.

The AMA also has updated its physician employment Web page to highlight a wide range of AMA resources for physicians who are employed or considering employment.

Manual helps physicians with employment agreements

With more and more established physicians, as well as those completing training, becoming employees of hospitals, medical groups or affiliate organizations, it's important that they enhance their understanding and negotiating position as they navigate employment contracts and opportunities in these practice settings.

A manual from the AMA, the "Annotated Model Physician-Hospital Employment Agreement," can help. This resource addresses the specific needs of established physicians and those completing training who are preparing to negotiate an employment contract with a hospital or related entity.

AMA members can access the manual for free; nonmembers can purchase it through the AMA Bookstore. If you're not a member, join today.