The Board

1. The Board “Code Blue” Chapter Two Health Science Edition Two

2. The Characters • Edward Wycoff—chairman of the finance committee • What kind of person is Edward Wycoff? • Dr. Ashton Amos—Newly elected president of the medical staff • What kind of a person is Dr. Amos? Health Science Edition Two

3. Brannan Community Hospital Organizational Structure Health Science Edition Two

4. Board of Trustees • The highest governing body in the hospital • Functions: • Hires and fires the hospital administrator • Approves the annual hospital budget • Approves the annual strategic plan • Appoints doctors to the medical staff • Approves physician privileges (procedures physicians are allowed to perform) Health Science Edition Two

5. Executive Committee • Conducts business on behalf of the board between board meetings • Members include: • Hospital Administrator • Controller • Personnel Director • Director of Nursing Health Science Edition Two

6. Finance Committee • Advises the board on financial matters • The budget • The accounting system • Financial reports • Edward Wycoff is chairman of the finance committee Health Science Edition Two

7. Medical Staff • Consists of all physicians who practice medicine in the hospital • Dr. Ashton Amos has been elected president of the medical staff. • He represents the interests of the medical staff to the administrator and the board of trustees. Health Science Edition Two

8. Department Heads • Hospitals are grouped into departments. • Examples include: administration, nursing, radiology, laboratory, housekeeping, finance, etc. Health Science Edition Two

9. Department Heads • The supervisor of a department in a hospital is referred to as a department head. • Department heads report directly to the hospital administrator, or in the case of larger hospitals, to an assistant administrator. Health Science Edition Two

10. Other Terminology • Attending Physician: The physician who has charge of a patient admitted to the hospital. Health Science Edition Two

11. Other Terms Used in Chapter 2 • Dietary Department: The department that plans and delivers meals to hospital patients. • Chief Dietician: The head of the dietary department. • Dietician: An individual trained in the practical application of diet in the treatment of hospital patients. Health Science Edition Two

12. Career Opportunity • There are good career opportunities for those interested in hospital dietetics. • A number of universities offer degrees for hospital dieticians. Health Science Edition Two

13. Other Terms Used in Chapter 2 • Coronary Care Unit (CCU): The medical unit where patients with coronary (heart) diseases are treated and housed. Health Science Edition Two

14. Other Terms Used in Chapter 2 • Critical Condition: The most serious classification of patient illness. Health Science Edition Two

15. Other Terms Used in Chapter 2 • Emergency Call: Physicians at some hospitals are required to provide coverage of the emergency room. • These hospitals do not have full-time emergency physicians. • When a patient presents himself (or herself) at the emergency center, the doctor is called to the emergency center. Health Science Edition Two

16. Other Terms Used in Chapter 2 • Life Flight: In “Code Blue,” a helicopter that transports patients from an accident to a hospital, or from a hospital to a more specialized hospital. Health Science Edition Two

17. Other Terms Used in Chapter 2 • Managed Care: A philosophy and system of reducing healthcare costs. Health Science Edition Two

18. Power and Politics • In this chapter, we learn the reaction of the board to the death of the hospital administrator. • We also are introduced to power and politics in the hospital. • Financial problems facing the board are also briefly discussed. Health Science Edition Two

19. Discussion Question 1 From the discussion of power and politics on page 10, explain what you think are the advantages and disadvantages of selecting an interim (versus permanent administrator) to run Brannan Community Hospital? Health Science Edition Two

20. End of Chapter 2 Health Science Edition Two