Maintain relationships with regulatory agencies

Beginning June 1, the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine is requiring all physicians applying for or renewing a medical license to undergo two hours of training on implicit bias (i.e., the unconscious prejudices and mistaken beliefs an individual may hold toward gender, race, ethnicity, or culture).

Education and collaboration are the two words to keep in mind when MSPs work with outside entities. Successful MSPs foster strong relationships by continually educating themselves on requirements for their offices and how their office communicates with regulatory agencies. Many MSPs are often the liaison during a survey, providing welcome documents, escorting the surveyor around the facility, and sitting in on formal audits and interviews. MSPs also provide any follow-up on issues or questions posed by the surveyor. This is where the MSP can shine as an important part of the administrative leadership.

Type the words “physician burnout” and “statistics” into an online search engine and you might be shocked: Nearly half of all practicing physicians report feeling burned out. One study found that 7% of physicians had experienced suicidal ideation in the past year (compared to 4% of nonphysicians). Yet, even with these alarming numbers, physicians are still hesitant to seek out professional help or even take advantage of wellness support initiatives, usually for fear of looking weak or unprofessional.

Find out what’s happening in the world of federal healthcare regulations by reviewing some recent headlines from across the country.