How do hospitalists contribute to patient care from a clinical standpoint?
Practice generally makes perfect in healthcare. The average U.S. primary care physician spends only 12 percent of his or her time with hospitalized patients. That means that the typical primary care physician is unlikely to see any one condition requiring hospitalization more than three times per year (according to a study by The Advisory Board in Washington, D.C.). Hospitalists bring to patients an expertise in the application and coordination of care for common acute disorders that is far beyond what a traditional primary care physician would be able to provide. Because of this unusually deep understanding of inpatient care, hospitalists are able to recognize and diagnose unusual disorders, anticipate problems and rapidly respond to crises or changes in a patient’s condition. Hospitalists also have been shown to add value beyond patient care by taking a leadership role in quality and patient safety initiatives and by serving on important hospital committees, such as pharmacy and ther
