Getting along with physicians will play a bigger role next year in the performance evaluation of Erlanger hospital's CEO, according to a decision by the hospital's management and board evaluation committee.

"It's our responsibility to reach out to physicians," committee member Jim Worthington said at a meeting Wednesday, adding that "I am still not seeing great improvement" in that area.

Committee members decided to weigh CEO Jim Brexler's ability to ensure "positive and effective" relationships with doctors at 15 percent instead of 10 percent of his overall score in the CEO performance appraisal for fiscal year 2010, which ends next summer.

Alterations to the CEO performance evaluation do not require approval from the full board of trustees, said committee Chairwoman Kim White, CEO of RiverCity Co.

The committee also voted on the performance measurements that will be used to determine management-level employees' bonuses next year. The proposed scorecard will be considered by the full board at its monthly meeting tonight.

The committee voted a year ago on the performance standards that have determined bonuses for fiscal year 2009, said Gregg Gentry, senior vice president for human resources.

Based on those guidelines and audited fiscal year 2009 data, bonuses will be awarded to management this year for last year's performance, Mr. Gentry said, but he was unable to provide the specific amounts Wednesday.

Certain criteria must be met for the hospital to give out bonuses, including recording a net income at the end of the fiscal year, maintaining accreditation under the Joint Commission -- an independent, nonprofit commission that accredits health care facilities -- and achieving bond covenants, Mr. Gentry said.

If those criteria are met, management employees are given bonuses based on meeting targets in categories such as the hospital's profit margin, patient satisfaction and quality indicators such as surgical infection prevention.

Committee members voted Wednesday to remove "overall staff turnover rate" as one of those quality indicators. Committee member Pat Quinn said employee satisfaction would be a better indicator, since turnover is dependent upon so many outside factors, such as the economy.

MEASUREMENTS TO DETERMINE MANAGEMENT BONUSES

* Hospital's operating margin

* Average length of stay in hospital

* Time from arrival in emergency department to discharge

* Patient satisfaction ratings

* Quality objectives, including surgical infection prevention and ventilator-associated pneumonia cases