title: The medical staff structure--its role in the 21st century.
abstract: Dr. Eisenberg's paper presents a vision of the medical staff from the point of view of a practicing physician and medical staff leader. Dr. Eisenberg focuses on ways the medical staff, as an independent entity, may use the collective clinical knowledge and experience of its physician membership to enhance quality. This paper also presents Dr. Eisenberg's unique insights regarding the interplay and conflict between hospitals and their associated medical staff in today's complex health care delivery system. He provides several suggestions to increase cooperation between these two important components of inpatient care.
authors.affiliation: Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Gerald M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003284:Contract Services / Q000592:standards; D004651:Employment / Q000592:standards; D006075:Governing Board; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000592:standards*; D018578:Hospital-Physician Relations; D007087:Illinois; D007591:Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; D008318:Malpractice; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D008486:Physician Executives; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012308:Risk Management; D012941:Social Responsibility; D014481:United States