Hospitalists coordinate communication, cut costs, and reduce LOS, new study says
The hospitalist model produces better patient outcomes, according to a study, "Is the doctor in? A relational approach to job design and the coordination of work," published in winter 2008 issue of Human Resource Management.
As the first research to link job design (education, consulting, healthcare) to outcomes, the study evaluated the effects of stage and site-based physician specialization on coordination and performance outcomes, according to the abstract.
Studying more than 6,000 cases at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital, MA during July 2001 to July 2003, researchers found that the hospitalist model was linked to the following results:
- Reduced length of stay by about half a day
- Cut hospital costs by $655 per patient
- Reduced the risk of readmission by nearly 42%
- Improved coordination of communication between physicians and other care providers by more than 13%
About the Author: Karen M. Cheung is the associate editor for HCPro, Inc., the healthcare compliance publisher, delivering news and information to the hospitalist market with products such as books, e-newsletters, seminars, and broadcast events.
Before arriving at HCPro, Karen served as the news editor for Reviewed.com (including DigitalCameraInfo.com and lead blogger for CamcorderInfo.com), providing unbiased tech reviews for the WashingtonPost.com. Having trained with The Washington Post photo department and earning a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, Karen has experience with news and commercial photography. During her time in D.C., she covered Capitol Hill and the White House for daily New England newspapers.
