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Hospitalist-neurosurgical comanagement cut hospital costs

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, December 28, 2010

Comanagement between hospitalist and neurosurgeons can reduce hospitals costs, according to a new study, “Comanagement of Surgical Patients between Neurosurgeons and Hospitalists,” published in the December Archives of Internal Medicine.

Based on satisfaction surveys from patients and providers on a neurosurgery service and data on nearly 7,600 patients, study authors found that there was no difference in length of stay, inpatient mortality, 30-day readmissions, or patient satisfaction with the comanagement model. However, they observed a reduction in hospital costs by $1,439 per patient admission. In addition, nurses and other healthcare professionals perceived better quality of care.

“Implementation of a hospitalist comanagement service had little effect on patient outcomes or satisfaction but appeared to reduce hospital costs and improve health care professionals' perceptions of care quality. As comanagement models are adopted, more emphasis should be placed on developing systems that improve patient outcomes,” states the study.

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