The Importance of Medical Staff Leadership
By Eric Ramos, MD

Being involved in hospital governance has never been more important. Over the last several years, we have witnessed a decreasing role of the family physician in the hospital due to the use of hospitalists. Even though FPs are spending less time in the hospital, there is no more important time to be involved in the Family Medicine Department and in other hospital committees - the preservation of our privileges and scope of practice is at stake. It is the role of the Family Medicine Department to develop its own high standards of care, and the department chair needs to have a voice into matters that affect family physicians. As we learned from the Eric Runte case, privileges are decided at the medical staff level, not based on one's competence. Issues like privileges, quality assurance and peer review are often discussed at the medical staff committee level. Important committees with which to get involved are the Credentials, Bylaws, and Medical Executive Committees, and the Board of Governors, to name a few. In fact, any role you can play in the hospital is well worth your efforts. Taking a leadership role in your hospital can be both challenging and rewarding - your involvement can help structure your hospital to providing the highest level of care and allow physicians to function at their highest level of expertise.

Eric Ramos, MD, is the Chief of Staff at Doctor's Medical Center in Modesto. He is a CAFP past president.