A decree modifies the role and the powers of the actors at the head of the hospitals, a few months after the suicide of Professor Mégnen which revealed many flaws.
Rebalance and better define the powers within the hospital: this is the state of mind of the decree published today at Official newspaper, which “improves the skills and organization” of the various actors at the head of hospitals – management, heads of service, poles, representatives of doctors.
The text appears a few months after the suicide of Professor Mégnen, cardiologist at the European Pompidou Hospital in Paris, who highlighted the many shortcomings and gray areas surrounding the sharing of powers within certain establishments, as well as the abuses. that may result from it.
In the aftermath of Professor Mégnen’s suicide, the AP-HP conducted an internal investigation to detect institutional flaws that could foster such conflicts. In her conclusions, she advocates a clearer definition of roles within the hospital, increased transparency in the appointment procedures which seem here and there to serve as a bargaining chip and an argument for blackmail.
Better represent physicians
The decree thus plans to strengthen the role of the CME (Commission Médicale d’Etablissement), a body which represents and defends doctors in establishments. Since 2009 and the law on HPST on the organization of the hospital, this commission has been losing momentum, even though its mission is to constitute a counter-power in relation to the management. In Pompidou, it is this CME that several colleagues of Professor Mégnen question. She would not have reacted to the many signals emitted before her suicide.
The president of CME will henceforth be responsible for appointing the heads of departments and units of the establishments, whereas he had previously only had an advisory role. The head of the pole, who brings together various services within the establishment, takes over this advisory role and therefore cedes his appointment power.
The CME will also have increased scrutiny vis-à-vis the organization in poles of the establishment, chosen by the management. The decree specifies that the commission will decide “in particular on the medical coherence and the conformity with the medical project” of this organization.
Clarify roles
Finally, to alleviate the management and management problems detected within certain establishments, heads of service, departments, internal structures or functional units will be offered “training adapted to the performance of their duties” in two months following their appointment. The duration of their mandate is set at four years, renewable.
Hospitals will have to integrate into their internal regulations the “essential principles of the functioning of the poles and the relations between the heads of poles, the heads of services and the heads of departments, functional units”. The establishments have six months to bring their internal regulations into conformity, which must clarify the roles of each.
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