Medical Staff

Tip of the week: Craft a nonretaliation policy to encourage reporting of disruptive behavior

Medical Staff Leader Connection, December 23, 2010

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A nonretaliation policy makes it clear that reporting improper conduct is a duty of all staff members, and it articulates the disciplinary consequences of any effort to punish an employee for carrying out this duty. Hospital leadership must enforce the policy; otherwise, their assurances to staff members will lack credibility. Retaliation is just as serious—if not more so—than the original offense, and it creates a hostile work environment. Consider the following language for your organizations nonretaliation policy:

It is the policy of [hospital name] to encourage the reporting of unprofessional and disruptive conduct. No manager, supervisor, director, or employee of the organization may impose penalties or adverse actions against an individual for properly reporting improper conduct. Retaliation in any form against individuals who report improper conduct will not be tolerated by [hospital name]. All reports of retaliation or the imposition of adverse actions will be fully investigated and appropriate penalties will be applied where this policy has not been followed.

This week’s tip is from A Practical Guide to Managing Disruptive and Impaired Physicians, Second Edition, by R. Dean White, DDS, MS, and Jonathan H. Burroughs, MD, MBA, FACPE, CMSL.
 



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