Salem Hospital Peer Review Committee elections

MPRC accepting nominations until Oct. 31

The Salem Hospital Multidisciplinary Peer Review Committee (MPRC) is accepting nominations for election to membership. Membership terms are three years, beginning Jan. 1, 2026, with eligibility for additional terms. 

Current MPRC members:

• Gloria Alexander, MD, Adult Hospitalist Medicine
• Rebecca Collins, MD, OB/GYN
• Amy Dourgarian, MD, Emergency Medicine
• Nervin Fanous, MD, Cardiothoracic Surgery*
• Kamran Firoozi, MD, Pulmonology/Intensive Care
• Harminder Gandhok, MD, Cardiology
• Michelle Rasmussen, MD, Family Medicine/Primary Care*
• Jake Sharp, MD, Radiology
• Sumit Singhal, MD, Adult Hospitalist Medicine
• Nicole VanDerHeyden, MD, General Surgery*
• Jennifer Williams, MD, Anesthesiology, Chair

*Term expiring

Our current MPRC members Drs. Fanous and VanDerHeyden have expressed interest in serving another term. Dr. Rasmussen will be stepping down at the end of 2025. Please note that to allow for appropriately informed decisions about case reviews, the committee seeks to maintain member representation from the following specialties:

• Adult Hospitalist Medicine
• Anesthesiology
• Cardiology
• Emergency Medicine
• Intensive Care
• OB/GYN
• Primary Care
• Radiology
• Surgery

Minimum qualifications 

• At least three years of clinical experience
• Board certification
• Be a physician member of the Medical Staff in “good standing” and with Active or Associate Staff status

“Good standing” describes Medical Staff members who maintain qualifications for privileges and assigned Medical Staff category and are not currently under a suspension or restriction.

Expectations and responsibilities

• Attend MPRC virtual meetings on the first and third Tuesdays of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 a.m.
• Oversee the operation of the entire Salem Hospital Medical Staff peer review system including reviews of performance data as well as of cases involving clinical performance.
• Review case files provided by staff prior to meetings to be prepared to discuss and finalize all determinations and recommendations of the SH Medical Staff peer review system.
• Develop, recommend, and consistently implement policies and procedures for all peer review activities at Salem Hospital.
• The MPRC is established by and subject to the authority of the Salem Hospital Medical Executive Committee (MEC) and the Salem Health Board of Trustees.
• For more information, the Peer Review Manual is available upon request.

Selection process

Each candidate must be nominated or endorsed by their Section Chief or Department Chair. A Section Chief or Department Chair may nominate more than one candidate. Nominations may be emailed to the Chair of MPRC, Dr. Williams, at jennifer.williams@salemhealth.org. 

• Interested candidates will receive an application after they are nominated and can return it by fax to 503-814-2806 or email to peerreview@salemhealth.org no later than Friday, Oct. 31.   
• Candidates are approved by the Salem Hospital MPRC and the Salem Hospital Medical Staff Executive Committee prior to being placed on the ballot.
• Election to the committee is by majority vote of all active status medical staff members.

Questions? Contact jennifer.williams@salemhealth.org or peerreview@salemhealth.org.

Reminder: The application submission deadline is Friday, Oct. 31.