Hospital Practice News

Hospitals boost leadership training for physicians

More and more hospital-employed physicians have opportunities to receive in-house training for leadership positions, with health systems seeking to prepare doctors for increased responsibilities as part of health system reform.

A story by American Medical News examines this trend and notes that physicians taking leadership training from their institutions usually are expected to go on to join hospital committees and take on other appropriate roles. Program requirements vary widely, with some requiring a year or two or monthly attendance at weekend courses and others taking only a few hours annually, American Medical News reports.

An upcoming education session offered by the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section (OMSS) aims to educate physicians on the attributes and skills required for physician leaders to be successful. The session, "Essential Physician Leadership Attributes for Improving Health Outcomes," will take place June 16 in Chicago in conjunction with this year's AMA-OMSS Annual Assembly Meeting.

Physicians can earn continuing medical education credit in the form of  2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ through the program. Visit the AMA-OMSS website and click on "Essential physician leadership attributes for improving health outcomes: part 1" for more information.

Webinar to consider future of hospital medical staff

Examine the role of the medical staff in this era of health care consolidation, health system reform and increased physician employment by participating in a webinar at 1 p.m. Eastern time March 27. Hosted by the American Health Lawyers Association, the program will discuss:

• The traditional role of the hospital medical staff and how and why it is evolving.
• Contemporary challenges to the traditional role, including declining physician participation, causes of friction between employed and independent physician members of the staff and tips for addressing it.
• The rise of physician ventures and the possible impact of the Affordable Care Act on existing regulatory standards.
• The role of the medical staff as leaders and drivers of change and in the maintenance of traditional duties such as credentialing, privileging and oversight of quality.
• The effects of competitive physician ventures.

Presenters will include Jay A. Gregory, MD, and Arthur D. Snow Jr., MD, chair and vice chair, respectively, of the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section Governing Council.

The webinar is the first in a three-part series focusing on what hospitals and physicians, and the attorneys who represent them, need to know about the evolving medical staff in today's evolving health care system. The Medical Staff, Credentialing, and Peer Review Practice Group and the Labor and Employment Practice Group are co-sponsoring the series.

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.