Medical Staff

A letter from the trenches

Medical Staff Leader Connection, November 6, 2006

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Last week, I was working with one of our Medical Staff Institute clients (Marshall Medical Center in Placerville, CA) and happened to see an article that Marshall's medical staff coordinator wrote for the California Association Medical Staff Services.

 

The article made me laugh out loud, and I asked if I could share it with you.  The answer was yes, so here it is.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

 

May I Take Your Pulse?

By Cindy McMicken, CPCS, CPMSM

Medical staff coordinator, Marshall Medical Center

 

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry after I got off of the phone with Lorena.  She was asking all the chapter presidents to write an article for the virtual library; something that could help other professionals in our field.  The problem is that right now I don't feel like an "expert" on anything - except maybe hiding the fact that I am slowly losing my mind.

 

For instance, I was working on a project when my printer ran out of paper.  I went into the copy room, got a ream of paper, opened the copy machine, added the ream, went back to my office, and stared at the message that said, "I am out of paper."  (I then sheepishly added paper to the printer!).  Another day I was on my way home after an especially hard day at the office and I saw a house that I didn't recognize.  It occurred to me that I didn't know where I was.  It took me awhile to realize that I had just missed my turn and that this wasn't the beginning of Alzheimer's.  A quick u-turn and I was back on track.

 

Some people may argue that this is just a sign of getting older, but I am sure that eventually I will be able to claim worker's comp for this malady.  And I would win, for three reasons:  Physicians, regulatory agencies, and committees.

 

Let's take these one at a time.

 

Physicians 

Why can't our policy be:  If your medical staff application is illegible or you have not supplied the necessary addresses, your application will be returned and you will be told to follow simple directions.  If it comes back incomplete again, the application is denied.  This concept can be used in so many ways.

 

Regulatory agencies 

I know that we all have different criteria for medical staff membership and privileges, but do we need to take the pulse of our applicants to ensure they are alive?  Why does the National Practitioner Data Bank ask if the physician we are credentialing is deceased?  Personally, if the physician dies during the credentialing or recredentialing process, I stop processing the application.  No due process, no right of appeal. Am I missing something?

 

Committees 

JCAHO only requires one medical staff committee: The medical executive committee.  However, it is the belief of my medical staff, as well as the hospital, that all functions require a committee.  If I weren't supporting so many committee meetings, maybe I would have time to look up those addresses and decipher the handwriting on those applications, or take the pulse of those physicians who are applying.

 

The problem with policies and procedures is we make them too complex.  We need to simplify the process and follow it.  You never know the "holes" in your system until something bad happens.  I like to believe that I learn from these instances and work to make the process better.  You know, that quick u-turn and you are back on track.  That only works until I sit back down at my computer and am reminded that "I am out of paper."

 

Thanks, Cindy for sharing with our readers.  And just to let you know, Cindy is a great medical staff coordinator and is cherished by her medical staff!

 

Vicki Searcy, CPMSM

The Greeley Company

 



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