The Medical staff counselor
-
This article--the third in a series analyzing the physician-hospital contracting process from the physician's perspective--addresses the legal issues involved in physician-hospital arrangements, including those arising under federal and state illegal remuneration, antitrust, and tax laws. New applications of these issues to physician-hospital organizations and practice management/practice acquisitions by hospitals are also addressed, as well as other recent hospital efforts to maximize the benefits to be gained from the physician-hospital relationship.
-
This article--the second in a series analyzing the physician-hospital contracting process from the physician's perspective--addresses negotiation of specific contract terms, including such controversial issues as exclusive contracts, mandatory managed care arrangements, and tie-in of contract terms and medical staff privileges. Also discussed are the goals and expectations of physicians and hospitals during the contracting process.
-
This is the second part of a two-part article examining the federal patient anti-dumping statute, under which physicians are required to treat a hospital's emergency patients, including women in labor, and to comply with certain requirements that dictate when it is appropriate to transfer a patient. Part I discussed in detail the provisions of the statute. Part II analyzes various court interpretations of the law and its potential impact on physician liability.
-
This article describes the types of medical staff credentialing and peer review activities that invite the scrutiny of the Federal Trade Commission. To avoid antitrust problems, medical staffs and their members are advised to offer recommendations based on specific quality-of-care concerns. Antitrust problems will arise, however, if the medical staff or its members engage in collective activities that involve threats or coercion directed at the hospital's governing board or that are calculated solely to exclude an entire class of potential competitors.