AMA asks for one year hold on 'disruptive behavior' rule

Of course the AMA wants to delay implementation of any rule that would take away their strangle hold on the U.S. Health Care system. Institutions have been reluctant to take actions against abusive physicians but quick to act against non-physician employees.
While there are excellent physicians who treat non-physician health care providers with respect. There are a number who have no regard for anyone that does not have MD behind their name. I prefer to believe these physicians are in the minority but I still see many physicians with what I refer to as, "The Doctor God Syndrome." Unfortunately, the minority gives the majority a bad name.
The AMA has been aware of abusive physicians for many years and has failed to proactively police their own. Any concession, by the Joint Commission, will only reinforce the AMA's past failure to act.
It's time to send abusive physicians a message. The AMA could have sent it years ago but failed. Why give the minority, who lord over the majority, another chance?

AMA-give us all a break, everyone of your "bad behaviors" I witnessed in my first year of nursing school. Which was over 20 years ago, things have improved, but I still hear the fall-out. Perhaps, if the AMA took a play-nice stance you'd have less nurses leave the profession. Or perhaps, you really don't need us after all?

I think the more we discuss this topic the more we can expose underlying dynamics and work towards more respectful interactions. I’m worried that the AMA's idea of putting a moratorium on TJCs new standard re: disruptive behaviors will impede the process and may send mixed messages of intent. As a very powerful organization, they have great potential for eliminating toxic behaviors from healthcare workplaces, but is this something they really want to do and are they clear about this? I am unsure.

The American Medical Association (AMA) has defined disruptive behavior as a style of interaction with physicians, hospital personnel, patients, family members, or others that interferes with patient care. This definition, in my opinion, leaves room for tolerating disruptive behavior if it doesn’t interfere with patient care. (See AMA H-140.918 Disruptive Physician Policy).

In addition, even with recent press and efforts by such organizations as The Joint Commission, Institute of Healthcare Improvement, and the National Association for Healthcare Quality, there is reluctance to fully acknowledge the depth and breadth of this problem. In her recent article, “Hospital bullies take a toll on patient safety , ”health writer, JoNel Aleccia quotes the president of the American Medical Association, Dr. Joseph Heyman , “I don’t see it as a huge problem,” he said. “Having standards encourages hospitals to look for this kind of behaviorand head it off at the pass.”

I'd like to believe that physicians do not and will not support episodes of disrespectful behavior by themselves, nurses, or anyone else EVER. My experience and research suggest otherwise. It WILL be hard to define and standardize respectful interactions but we MUST do this.

Even if only a small number of people are abusive, their behaviors impact the whole culture and ultimately adversely influence collaborative efforts to provide safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care.

It's an old story of "stonewalling" while quality health care continues its slide. With the AMA's help, the US ranks at the bottom of quality health care among industrialized nations. Now, the AMA is guarding its superiority to belittle and demean other health care professionals and patients!

Sat Feb 07, 2009

Nation's VA Hospitals Unprepared to Implement The Joint Commission Mandate on Abusive Physicians
The Veterans Administration Ignores U.S. Veterans Again! Veteran Administration hospitals, which are Joint Commission accredited, have not met the January 1, 2009 mandate, initiated over a year ago, to have policy and procedure to identify and intervene with disruptive and abusive physicians. An informal survey of VA hospital Human Resources Departments and Patient Advocate services found both offices unaware and in the dark concerning the year-old requirement by The Joint Commission. When asked, VA personnel responded, “the VA is Joint Commission accredited. We know nothing of this mandate. That would fall under the Chief of Staff’s office.” Randomly selected Chiefs of Staff of VA hospitals were not available for comment. The sole purpose of the VA Patient Advocates is to address veterans complaints and correct individual and systemic deficiencies in services at the nation’s VA hospitals. VA hospitals are the single largest health care provider for veterans in the US and health care is an ‘earned benefit’ for American veterans, not an entitlement program. Posted by TL Wentz, PhD,