Merger and medical staff: an approach to integration

One of the most important aspects of a hospital merger is the impact on the medical staff. At University Hospital in British Columbia, which was established when two large general teaching hospitals merged, the comprehensive process to reorganize the medical staff structure was designed to account for this impact. Preliminary indications are that the process used was effective in creating a positive atmosphere and that the fundamental arrangements that resulted are conductive to future development. Although a formal evaluation of the overall integration of the medical staff at University Hospital is some time off, general evaluative criteria are proposed for future application.