Re-engineering the medical staff. Simplification is key.

Abstract

Medical staffs are finding they must make do with less--less administrative support from financially strapped hospitals, and less volunteer physician member time from physicians who are distracted by managed care and by managing their changing practices. All too often the medical staff tries to do what they have always done, only faster, and with less help. This just frustrates those who were already working hard. The better alternative? Re-engineer the medical staff with the goal of simplifying operations. A critical look at the tasks undertaken by the medical staff often reveals that far too much time is spent doing unnecessary things. When asked, "Why do you do all this?" the answer is often, "because we are required to do it!" Yet scrutiny reveals that it is not required and that the task could be eliminated. Just because something "has always been done that way" does not mean it still must. It is time to look at the medical staff structure and procedures with a new set of questions: What is really required? What has great value for us? What can be jettisoned without affecting our operations?