CMW Tip of the Week: Hospitalists complement case management objectives
Case Management Weekly, November 5, 2008
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This week’s “Ask the Expert” is provided by June Stark, RN, BSN, MEd.
Q: How can my facility’s hospitalist program help improve case management goals?
A: Hospitalists, who specialize in the management of hospitalized patients, take over for primary care providers (PCP) when it’s time to admit patients. Hospitalists work on fast-paced, intensely focused, and streamlined schedules and have been known to shave days off the average stay at a facility.
To ensure the success of your hospitalist program, take the following steps:
Assign hospitalists by unit. When hospitalists are unit-based, LOS reduction goals are easier to achieve. This is because continuity is built into a geographic-based assignment.
Establish morning hospitalist/case manager rounds. Start every day with rounds to plan the day and the stay. Daily rounds open the lines of communication and clarify the direction and goals for the day.
Expect a learning curve. Just like a new case manager, a new hospitalist will face a learning curve.
Establish guidelines promoting communication between hospitalists and PCPs. The satisfaction of the referring physician or PCP is essential to the success of your hospitalist program.
Monitor patient/family satisfaction. Survey patients and their families to determine the effectiveness of your hospitalist program and the customer satisfaction it garners.
Have a tip or tool you’d like to share? Or maybe a question for our experts? E-mail it to editor Julie McGinley at jmcginley@hcpro.com.Your thoughts could be featured in the next issue of Case Management Weekly!
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