Michael Callahan, a partner in the firm’s Health Care Practice, was quoted in an article in HealthLeaders on the growing trend of paying medical staff leaders for what used to be volunteer positions. One reason for this change is the increasing level of responsibility required in these roles. “If you look at all the responsibilities The Joint Commission and other regulatory bodies place on department chairs, it is arguably a full-time job,” Mr. Callahan says. Hospitals should be aware of the Stark Law and Anti-kickback statute when determining the appropriate level of compensation. “If it looks like a payment for referrals—meaning that the real reason they made this person the medical director of a service line is to buy his loyalty and patients," Mr. Callahan says, “you are arguably violating these federal statutes.” (“How to Determine Compensation for Medical Staff Leaders,” April 22, 2010)
Chicago
