Hospital Practice News

CME activities highlight latest AMA-OMSS meeting

The AMA Organized Medical Staff Section held its 29th Interim Assembly Meeting Nov. 8–10 in Honolulu and hosted five education programs offering AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, including a joint program with the other AMA sections and special groups titled, "Accelerating Change in Medical Education."

The program, which addressed the AMA's work in this focus area of the AMA strategic plan, was moderated by Susan Skochelak, MD, the AMA's vice president of medical education, and featured keynote speaker Jeffrey Gold, MD, and panelists Jay Gregory, MD; Rachelle Klammer, MD; medical student LeAnne Roberts; and Maria Savoia, MD.

Other programs included:

• "Primer on the Medicare Hospital Conditions of Participation: Medical staff leadership in hospital matters," presented by attorney David Hilgers
• "Physician Quality Scoring Metrics, Interpretation and Implications," presented by William Golden, MD
• "Affordable Care Act Update: Physician's role in health system reform," presented by Richard Deem, the AMA's senior vice president of advocacy
• "Physicians as Leaders and Engaged Board Participants," presented by Mohamad Kasti and Jona Raasch

The AMA-OMSS Assembly considered 13 items of business on a range of issues, including the status of medical staff bylaws as contracts, oversight of pharmaceutical compounding companies and eligibility of employed physicians for election to medical staff leadership positions. The section transmitted six resolutions to the House of Delegates for consideration.

Comment on revisions to Joint Commission standards

Physicians are invited to comment on proposed revisions to three Joint Commission standards. Comments for a standard covering long-term care are due today. Comments on standards covering emergency management and ambulatory care are due Dec. 4 and Dec. 12, respectively.

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 doctors 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.

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.