Hospitalist Program Provides Continuity Of Care For Patients

Managed care and the increasing use of outpatient surgery have resulted in shorter hospital stays for many patients. But what happens to patients who are sicker and require more intense care?

At the John Dempsey Hospital, a group of six specially trained physicians known as hospitalists provide that care to those admitted as inpatients. Hospitalists are physicians who manage the inpatient care of general adult medicine patients referred to the hospital by primary care physicians.

“Our goal is to ensure consistent, high quality care to our patients during their stay in the hospital, and to coordinate any services they may need when they’re ready to go home,” says Dr. Steven Angus, head of the hospitalist program and an assistant professor of medicine. “As hospitalists, we are in the hospital all day, and are readily available to patients and their families.”

The program improves the quality of care delivered to patients, and patients are more satisfied with that care.

Continuity of care is improved since the patient’s primary care physician has a hands-on physician in the hospital as liaison. The hospitalist will work together with the referring primary care provider to ensure the best possible care is delivered.

At the time of admission, the hospitalist will call and inform the primary care provider of the admission, and will collect whatever information is necessary. The primary care provider is welcome to give the hospitalist a call at any time, and can always stop in to check on the patient or engage in a physician-to-physician consult. The hospitalist will also provide the primary care provider with periodic updates during the patient’s stay.

Upon discharge the hospitalist will call the primary care provider to give a detailed update, make follow-up appointments as necessary, and highlight any additional testing that may be required as an outpatient. A detailed summary of a patient’s stay will then be sent to the primary care physician.