I have three comments:
The Joint Commission for Accreditation requires
that the hospital be democratically organized.
The Joint Commission requires a staff executive committee
elected by all the members of the staff
and requires that each member of the staff be eligible
for membership on that committee.
This hospital has flouted the requirements of the Joint Commission
for years. The Medical Board which serves the function
of the staff executive committee was designed to deprive the staff
of the power to govern itself. The members of the medical board
are the employees of the Infirmary, and they can fired the way
Dr. Epstein was fired, if they don't vote the right way.
.PP
All this has been done on the basis of legal advice. 
Now it is perfectly proper for a lawyer to give advice
to a family if there is no conflict of interest.
But there is a conflict of interest.
And the conflict of interest exists
not because I am a trouble maker who is trying 
to stir up trouble. 
The conflict of interest exists 
because the Board of Managers has chosen to compete
with the staff.
"It is unprofessional to represent conflicting
interests except  by express consent of all concerned
given after full disclosure of the facts.
Within the meaning of this canon
a lawyer represents conflicting interests when 
on behalf of one client it is his duty to contend
for that which duty to another client requires him to oppose."
.PP
Bylaws are written by lawyers and are interpreted by lawyers
and the staff must rely on legal opinions concerning proposed By-laws changes.
Before you take the advice of the hospital's lawyers,
ask yourselves whether or not the Board of Managers
consistently acts in your best interest.
If it does not there is a conflict of interest
between the Board of Managers and the staff.
I believe there is objective evidence that
such a conflict of interest exists,
if for no other reason than that
at a meeting last year, Dr. Jakobiec,
speaking I believe on behalf of the Board of Managers
claimed for them the right to compete with the staff
collectively and individually in their medical practices.
If you perceive a conflict of interest between
the Board of Managers and your professional interest
as a member of this staff, then I urge you
do not rely on the legal advice concerning the By-laws
from attorneys employed by or representing the Board of Managers.
Form your own legal opinions or obtain advice
from a lawyer who is not in the business of advising
this hospital or any other hospital.

I have a second comment:

The importance of these deliberations goes beyond the specific issues
addressed in the proposed by-laws changes.
The hospital as we all know is owned by the trustees.
The trustees delegate the authority to conduct hospital business
to the Board of Managers.
The Board of Managers is almost totally independent of the staff,
and can do many things without the consent of the staff.
The Board of Managers is dependent on the staff in only one respect.
The Board of Managers needs you to approve the changes
in the By-laws which it desires.
I have no political agenda for this hospital.
But if you have a political agenda, and
if you don't like the way the Board of Managers runs the hospital, 
the By-laws are the instrument,
and the only instrument
with which you can compel the Board of Managers
to pay attention to you.
Don't approve these By-laws changes or any By-laws changes
until the Board of Managers operates the hospital in the manner
in which you would like it to be operated. Just say no.