Hospital Practice News

Fear of punitive response to hospital errors lingers

Data released last month by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) show that most physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals working in hospitals believe their organizations are still more interested in punishing missteps and enforcing hierarchy than in encouraging open communication and using adverse-event reports to learn what's gone wrong.

The data is revealed in the AHRQ's "Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture: 2012 User Comparative Database Report." View a story by American Medical News about the report.

Also, view a webcast by the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section (OMSS) titled "Promoting a Culture of Safety." The webcast is led by J. Bryan Sexton, MD, director of patient safety training at Duke University. View other education program offerings from the AMA-OMSS.

The AMA is a national leader in patient safety. With National Patient Safety Awareness Week observed through Saturday, learn more about the AMA's activities on this front in this week's Special Feature.

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.

"Doctors have got to protect themselves," said Jay Gregory, MD, chair of the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section Governing Council, in an American Medical News story about the manual. "Hopefully, this manual will provide physicians with a better understanding of their legal rights, and they will be able to go into situations with their eyes open."

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

Apply by May 14 for AMA-OMSS Governing Council seats

Elections for the 2012–2014 AMA Organized Medical Staff Section (OMSS) Governing Council will take place June 15 in Chicago during this year's AMA-OMSS Annual Assembly Meeting. Applications are due May 14; download one today.

Physicians or one or more representatives from their medical staff or other physician organization are invited to participate in the meeting, which will take place June 14–16. Visit the meeting Web page for more details, including information about submitting resolutions and opportunities to get involved.

Earn CME by viewing new 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 $75 each. If you're not an AMA member, join today.

The American Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.