The function of a medical director in healthcare institutions: a master or a servant.

The function of a medical director is presented along with features of efficiency and deficiencies from the perspective of healthcare system improvement. A MEDLINE/Pubmed research was performed using the terms "medical director" and "director", and 50 relevant articles were selected. Institutional healthcare quality is closely related to the medical director efficiency and deficiency, and a critical discussion of his or her function is presented along with a focus on the institutional policies, protocols, and procedures. The relationship between the medical director and the executive director is essential in order to implement a successful healthcare program, particularly in private facilities. Issues related to professionalism, fairness, medical records, quality of care, patient satisfaction, medical teaching, and malpractice are discussed from the perspective of institutional development and improvement strategies. In summary, the medical director must be a servant to the institutional constitution and to his or her job description; when his or her function is fully implemented, he or she may represent a local health governor or master, ensuring supervision and improvement of the institutional healthcare system.