Meetings that matter. Committees are here to stay, so we might as well learn how to deal with them.
In any hospital during any hour of the day or night, there are meetings. These meetings represent an enormous cost and, if not managed properly, a drain on institutional resources. Nevertheless, committees will continue to be a permanent hospital fixture because they are a critical management tool to resolve complex issues. What are the advantages of implementing a sound committee structure within the hospital? Group problem solving is generally superior to individual problem solving. Small groups represent one of the best ways of gaining consensus on politically sensitive issues. And committees can actually decrease hospital costs. Hospital administrators can follow seven steps to create a meaningful committee structure: Determine the necessity. Select the members. Have an agenda. Begin and end promptly. Keep the meeting focused. Expect resistance to new ideas. Reward productive group members.
D003363:Cost Control; D006040:Goals; D006126:Group Processes; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000592:standards*; D011340:Problem Solving; D011367:Professional Staff Committees / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States