Pioneers Memorial Hospital Medical Staff

#1. PIONEERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IS LOCATED IN BRAWLEY, CA (POPULATION APPROXIMATELY 25,000). IT IS ONE OF THE ONLY TWO HOSPITALS IN IMPERIAL COUNTY, CA WHICH IS A LARGE RURAL COUNTY OF 4,500 SQUARE MILES IN SOUTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA. THE LOCAL HOSPITAL PROVIDES THE ONLY ACUTE CARE GENERAL HOSPITAL AND MAJOR MEDICAL FACILITY FOR APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE TOTAL AREA IN THE COUNTY.THE HOSPITAL BY-LAWS, REGULATIONS AND OPERATIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES REQURE THE EXISTENCE OF A SEPERATE MEDICAL STAFF ORGANIZATION. THIS MEDICAL STAFF ORGANIZATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALTIY OF MEDICAL CARE AND FOR THE MAINTENANCE, OVERSIGHT, SUPERVISION AND MEDICAL EDUCATION OF THE MEDICAL STAFF TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF HIGH PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT, COMPETENCY AND CURRENT EDUCATION STANDARDS RELATED TO PATIENT CARE. IN ADDITION, THE MEDICAL STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PREPARATION AND CONTENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH SEMINARS, CLINICS AND PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION CLASSES GIVEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON A REGULAR BASIS RELATED TO THE CARE AND TREATMENT OF A BROAD VARIETY OF PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES ADN MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT AND AFFECT A LARGE PORTION OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.THE PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL STAFF REQUIRES CONTINUOUS TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO MAINTAIN THE STANDARDS OF MEDICAL CARE FOR PATIENTS. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE LOCATIONS OF THE HOSPITAL, WHICH IS A LONG DISTANCE AWAY FROM ANY MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA, THE STAFF DOES NOT HAVE READY ACCESS TO SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES THAT ARE NORMALLY AVAILABLE TO MOST MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. THE COSTS OF TRAVEL, LODGING AND PRODUCTIVE PRACTICE HOUSE, IN ADDTION TO THE COSTS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS, ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. THEFORE, THE MEDICAL STAFF HEAVLIY RELIES ON THE EXCHANGE OF SUCH EDUCATIONAL TRAINING AND OPPURTUNITIES AS WELL AS CONTINUOUS SUPPORT AND OVERSIGHT FROM THE DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN OF THE DIFFRENT AREAS OF MEDICAL CARE AND PRACTICE. DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL STAFF GO OUTSIDE OF THE AREA TO RECEIVE EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND IN TURN, TEACH AND TRAIN THE MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL STAFF IN THE FORM OF IN HOUSE TRAINING SEMINARS AND PRESENTATIONS TO SHARE THEIR INDIVIDUAL TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE.THE MEDICAL STAFF HAS REGULAR MEETINGS, USUALLY WEEKLY, TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS AND PROVIDE SEMINARS FOR THEIR VARIOUS SPECIALTIES OF MEDICAL PRACTICE AND CARE. THESE PRESENTATIONS ARE MADE TO THE MEDICAL STAFF AS WELL AS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO PROVIDE CURRENT INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO VARIOUS MEDICAL ISSUES AND TREATMENT OPTIONS.THE MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL STAFF DESIGN CARE AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS TO ASSIST MEDICAL STAFF MEMBER IN ACHIEVING THE REQURED CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND TO FORMULATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES VITAL TO THE CONDUCT OF HIGH STANDARDS OF QUALITY FOR PATIENT CARE AND PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE.THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MEDICAL STAFF ORGANIZATION IS MAGNIFIED BY THE LOCATION OF THE HOSPITAL. IMPERIAL COUNTY IS PREDOMINANTLY RURAL AND LOW-INCOME WITH PREPONDERANCE OF SPANISH SPEAKING PATIENTS. THESE FACTORS MAKE THE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND TRAINING OF PHYSICIANS EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT. THE ONGOING OPERATIONS OF THE MEDICAL STAFF IN THIS PROFESSIONAL ENVIROMENT ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT IN PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE AND SUPPORT RELEVANT TO THE NEED OF THIS PATIENT DEMOGRAPHIC. THESE PATIENTS, IN ADDTION OF THE MEDICAL ISSUES AT HAND, HAVE MANY SPECIAL NEEDS AND CULTURAL ISSUES THAT CAN ONLY BE LEARNED THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND CONSTANT TRAINING AND MENTORING BY THOSE WHO HAVE HAD PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIFIC LOCAL AND MEDICAL HEALTCARE ENVIRONMENT.2. MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS:THE DETAILED AND SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT AND CONDITIONS RELATING TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE MEDICAL STAFF ARE STIPULATED IN THE MEDICAL STAFF BY-LAWS AND RULES AND REGULATIONS. MEMBERSHIP IN THE MEDICAL STAFF AND COMPLIANCE WITH ALL OF THE TERMS, POLICIES, BY-LAWS, AND PROCEDURES THEREIN IS A REQUIREMENT OF PROVIDING MEDICAL OR HEALTH RELATED SERVICES AT PIONEERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. IN SUMMARIZED FORM, THE REQUIREMENTS OF MEMBERSHIP AND/OR CLINICAL PRIVILEGES ARE AS FOLLOWS:1. PRACTITIONERS CURRENTLY LICENSED TO PRACTICE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WHO CAN DOCUMENT THEIR BACKGROUND, EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING;2. PROVIDE CERTIFICATION THAT THEY POSESS THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ABILITY TO EXERCISE THE CLINCIAL PRIVILIGES TO BE GRANTED;3. AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL ETHICS OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OR THE CODE OF ETHICS OF THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION, OR THE APPLICABLE PODIATRIC ASSOCIATION;4. PROVIDE INFORMATION RELATIVE TO HIS/HER OWN COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS RELATED TO PATIENT CARE UPON APPLICATION, AND,5. AGREE NOT TO RECEIVE ANY PAYMENTS OF ANY KIND FROM OTHER PRACTICTIONERS WITHOUT THE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PATIENT.THE BY-LAWS SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT NO APPLICANT SHALL BE DENIED MEDICAL STAFF MEMBERSHIP OR CLINICAL PRIVILEGES ON THE BASIS OF SEX, RACE, CREED, COLOR, RELIGION OR NATIONAL ORIGIN, OR ON THE BASIS OF AN OTHER CRITERIA LACKIN INFORMED PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT AND EXPERIENCE.