Random Notes - Dr. Lerner

Random Notes
From Henry Lerner, MD, President of the Medical Staff
June 2010


1. With half the year over, I am pleased to state that, in general, affairs at the hospital and for the medical staff are going well. Newton-Wellesley Hospital continues to hold its own during tough financial times and the various financial threats on the near horizon from Medicare cuts to bundle payments have not yet arrived. There will be plenty of work to do and angst to overcome when they do arrive. 

But the day-to-day functions of the medical staff are running smoothly. Physicians are getting credentialed, the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff performs its overview functions twice a month and the medical staff committee system continues to do important and hard work in many areas including – but not limited to – patient safety, pharmacy issues, credentialing and bylaws.

2. Most of us have gotten used to the new parking situation by now. There continues to be a need for several physicians to have a place to park so they can get in and out of the hospital quickly when they make short visits to the hospital during the day. Dan Gross is working on a solution to this.

3. I have gotten interesting responses to the various inquiries I have made about programs the medical staff might be interested.

a. There was great enthusiasm for a group insurance program. This project is well underway and we hope to have a highly-qualified, full-service vendor in place by the late summer.

b. Surprisingly, there was minimal interest in a group to bring political and legislative matters affecting our practices to the attention of the medical staff.

c. Likewise, I received almost no responses complaining about the CPOE, LMR or PAML systems. I also found this surprising.

4. I am coming to the conclusion that there are three tests of a medical staff and its leadership:

The first is how it functions on a day-to-day basis. Does it perform its basic duties and obligations according to its Bylaws in a smooth and efficient manner? Does it help physicians and the hospital to provide safer and more cost-effective care?

The second way to measure the caliber of the medical staff and its leadership is when a crisis arises. Fortunately there have been none so far this year. But who knows what tomorrow will bring?

The third way to evaluate a medical staff and its leadership is how well it prepares for the future. Does it continue to keep itself a strong and vibrant organization? Does it recruit new members into the organization so they can become the next generation of medical staff leadership?. Does it, while continuing to work closely with the hospital, continue to focus on the needs of the physicians and other clinicians to make up the medical staff? This is where it is easy for medical staff leadership to take its eye off the ball in the midst of all the work it does with hospital administration and the hospital Board of Trustees.

The old phrase goes, "dance with who brung you." I try to keep that constantly in mind.