Hospital Practice News

More surgeons choosing hospital employment: study

General surgeons and surgical subspecialists are increasingly choosing hospital employment instead of independent practice, according to a database study published recently in JAMA Surgery (formerly the Archives of Surgery).

The study found that the number of surgeons who reported having their own self-employed practice decreased from 48 percent to 33 percent between 2001 and 2009, a decrease that corresponded with an increase in the number of employed surgeons. Researchers also found a 32 percent increase in the number of surgeons in a full-time hospital employment arrangement between 2006 and 2011. These trends were most notable among younger surgeons and among female surgeons, researchers reported.

The AMA offers a variety of resources to meet the needs of employed physicians, including a new set of Principles for Physician Employment, which aim to help physicians, those who employ physicians and their respective advisers identify and address some of the unique challenges employment presents to professionalism and the practice of medicine.

In addition, the AMA's "Annotated Model Physician-Hospital Employment Agreement" 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.

The AMA also offers webcasts covering employment-related topics. Two webcasts developed by the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section cover physician employment agreements and employment contracting and are available for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Also, two webcasts developed by the AMA Resident and Fellow Section cover negotiating contracts—"Contracting 101: You Get What You Negotiate" and "Negotiate with Confidence: Know What's in Your Contract."

The Archives of Surgery now has a new name: JAMA Surgery. Read a JAMA Network editorial to learn more about the name change to this journal and to other JAMA Network publications.

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.

New webcasts will be available later this month.

New model agreement helps with service line contracts

With service line agreements becoming both more popular and more complex, the AMA offers a new resource to assist physicians and their legal counsel in navigating and negotiating these contracts. AMA members may view the interactive Co-Management Service Line Agreement for free. If you're not an AMA member, join today.

Model conflict management process now available

Joint Commission accreditation standards require the development of a conflict management process to settle disputes between the organized medical staff and the governing body. With that, the AMA offers a model conflict management process that provides guidance for the development of such a process, as well as a process for resolving disputes between the medical executive committee and other members of the medical staff.

Use model code of conduct in medical staff bylaws

The AMA has revised its model medical staff code of conduct to reflect recent changes to standards issued by the Joint Commission. This model code of conduct, developed for insertion in medical staff bylaws, aims to assist medical staffs with implementation of a code of conduct in accordance with AMA policy and consistent with the Joint Commission Leadership Standard.

Employed physicians: Look to the AMA for advice

AMA member physicians in employment or other contractual relationships with hospitals, health systems and other similar entities can receive personal assistance from the AMA. While the AMA cannot provide legal opinions or representation, it is dedicated to answering questions and providing advice on such topics as contracting, credentialing, peer review, due process and medical staff governance.

AMA members may take advantage of this valuable resource in either of two ways:

• Complete a brief online form, and an AMA expert on physician-hospital/health system relations will contact you to discuss your questions or concerns.
• Contact AMA Member Relations via email or at (800) 262-3211 to arrange a time to discuss your questions or concerns with an AMA expert on physician-hospital/health system relations.

This offer is a benefit of AMA membership. If you're not a member, join today.