CMW Tip of the Week: Hospitalists reduce length of stay

Hospitalists create a win-win situation for themselves and the hospitals they work in, says Toni Brayer, MD, on eMaxhealth.com.

Hospitalists are physicians who typically work as part of a hospitalist group that provides coverage to a hospital seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Hospitalists become the attending physicians for  patients in the hospital—but only while they are in the hospital. Patients return to the care of a primary care provider after the hospital stay.

Brayer notes hospitalists often make more money working in the hospital than having their own practice. They are paid more by the hospital than they would receive by billing Medicare or Medicaid, and have no practice costs or employees to manage.

Additionally, hospitals with hospitalists programs have guaranteed coverage in the emergency department, better standardized protocols of care, and reduced length of stay.

Read the full article here.

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