Medical Staff

Items to discuss during provider--patient/family conference

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, April 5, 2011

During admission, the hospitalist must gather pertinent information and coordinate the patient’s care plan. As a result, it is beneficial to hold a conference with the patient, his or her significant others, and appropriate healthcare professionals (e.g., nursing staff, case managers, social services professionals, etc.) to discuss details of the care plan, including the following:

  • Admission diagnosis
  • Treatment plan
  • Prognosis
  • Expected hospital course
  • Hospital aftercare (e.g., acute rehabilitation facility, nursing facility, home, etc.)
  • Resuscitation status
  • Living will, healthcare power of attorney, and organ donor status
  • Identification of the family spokesperson
  • Confirmation of the primary care physician (PCP)

If the hospitalist encounters problems gathering essential information from the patient or family, he or she may need to involve the PCP. This can be accomplished via telephone or with a hospital visit, depending on the circumstances. The hospitalist should distribute a brochure explaining the purpose of the hospitalist program and obtain contact information from the family.

The above except is adapted from Hospitalist Case Studies: Tactics and Strategies for 10 Common Hurdles, published by HCPro, Inc.
 

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