QUESTION:        Our MEC recently commenced an investigation regarding a practitioner with a long history of behavioral incidents. The MEC has decided to conduct the investigation itself. Who should be present for the investigation? All of the people normally present at MEC meetings? Only members of the committee? Only voting members of the committee?

ANSWER:           If the MEC has decided to undertake a task, the whole committee can and should be involved. This means all members of the committee, including any individuals who are members by virtue of their position (i.e., ex officio members) and regardless of whether those members are physicians or have voting rights. Members are members because they have a valuable role to play (sometimes, providing expertise or information or administrative support for the committee). Take advantage!

Individuals who often attend MEC meetings as guests, but who are not members, may be excluded from investigations or other sensitive matters, if that makes sense. For example, if the investigation involved a psychiatrist, there would probably be no reason to have the director of the OR or the nurse manager present for the investigation, even if those individuals routinely attend MEC meetings as guests.

Medical Staff Services professionals and other administrative support persons, on the other hand, are often asked to attend and be involved in the MEC’s investigation because they may be able to offer valuable support to the committee as it proceeds (including offering support regarding the terms of the Bylaws, the contents of the practitioner’s credentialing and peer review files, keeping minutes, coordinating meetings, and assisting in drafting or coordinating the drafting of documentation regarding the investigation process – such as interview summaries).