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The odds are stacked against CEOs who hope their jobs will survive embattled relations with their medical staffs. An estimated 50 to 75 percent of CEOs who are fired lose their jobs as a direct result of medical staff conflicts. Some CEOs who have survived such conflicts say that the key is finding unusual solutions to conventional problems.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Washington DC, estimates that 90 percent of hospitals already comply with its proposed infection control standards. But some hospitals aren't waiting for mandates; instead, they're taking more progressive action of their own.

A growing number of hospital administrators are switching careers. Whether unable to find work, fed up with the health care system, or simply ready for a change--these people are leaving the hospital setting for what they believe are greener pastures, and some of them won't be back.

After years of competition with a neighboring hospital, you've realized that your hospital can't win. Your bottom line is red, the interests of the community are suffering, and merging is the only viable option. Only one question remains: What becomes of you? It's probably time to update your resume, even if you're the CEO spearheading the project, according to recruiters.

At 7:30 a.m., phones in the surgery department suddenly begin ringing off the hook. The weekly operating room schedule has been announced; surgeons who do not qualify for a slot in one of the schedule's predesignated time blocks are vying for the limited remaining time. This is a familiar scene in hospitals across the country. Keeping time in a stressful situation can make OR scheduling a political battle.