Hospitalists Strengthening Link Between Care Providers and Patients
The Children's Hospital implemented a Hospitalist Program early this year to enhance and support the communication between physicians, patients, families, nursing staff, ancillary services and referring providers.
A relatively new area of practice, Hospitalists are physicians whose primary professional focus is the general medical care of hospitalized patients. Hospitalists act as a liaison between the patient and his/her primary care physicians (PCP), who often are off-site in an office or clinic environment.
"We provide a continuum of care and reciprocal communication," stated Jennifer Reese, MD, director, Inpatient Medicine. "Hospitalists are dedicated solely to the care of patients while they are in the hospital. This allows us the time to communicate frequently and comprehensively with families."
Beyond providing patient care, hospitalists are skilled in teaching and providing research and leadership related to hospital care.
Currently, Children's Hospitalists work in the hospital's extensive Network of Care within emergency medicine. The group works closely with Epic production to maximize communication with PCPs. They also provide an excellent educational opportunity for the pediatric housestaff, by having a consistent approach to care on the wards, daily schedules and education.
"The medical unit nursing staff benefits from the support of the hospitalist in improving patient flow and communication between hospital nurses and physicians, including our community PCPs," explained Traci Link MS, RN, clinical director, Pediatric Medicine, 4N/SSU. "The result of this interdisciplinary collaboration is the establishment of the best plan of care for our patients and families leading to improved patient outcomes."
Dr. Reese and her team are excited to have the opportunity to create a hospitalist program inside Children's. "We very much appreciate the hospital's support, and we hope to be a national leader in this area of practice in the years to come," she explained.
