Information for Healthcare Professionals
What Are the Roles and Primary Functions of Hospitalists at Cincinnati Children’s?
The physicians of the Division of Hospital Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s care for hospitalized infants, children, adolescents, young adults and their families. We also provide consultation and co-management of general medical, medical subspecialty, general surgical and surgical subspecialty patients. Our emphasis is on evidence-based, family-centered care that is safe, culturally competent, timely and efficient.
Our hospitalists are engaged in education of medical students, residents and fellows. Several of the hospitalists hold key leadership positions within the organization, including associate directors of the pediatric resident program as well as providing leadership in the area of medical student education. Our hospitalists also collaborate with other clinical divisions in the area of clinical research, clinical care and quality improvement.
What Can a Healthcare Professional Expect of a Hospitalist?
A healthcare professional may expect a high level of professionalism from the hospitalists in the Division of Hospital Medicine. This professionalism takes the form of clinical and service excellence. The hospitalists personally see, examine, evaluate and discuss progress and plans with the patient and their families on a daily basis. Most face-to-face activity takes place on morning rounds, but the hospitalists are available for patients and their families from morning rounds until midnight, and after midnight the hospitalists take calls from home with in-hospital coverage provided by Cincinnati Children’s house staff.
Communication is important to maintaining contact with the primary care physician − the minimal standard of communication is a call at the time of admission and at the time of discharge. Most day-to-day communication with the primary care physician is done by the patient’s primary resident with guidance from the hospitalist, but the hospitalist is always available for direct communications with the primary care physician.
Communication at the time of transition of care is critical, and the hospitalists monitor the communication process during these times. The hospitalists of the Division of Hospital Medicine recognize the importance of the medical home and strive to work with the primary care physician and other care providers to ensure patients and their families receive all necessary services to meet their medical needs. All of the hospitalists are board-certified or board-eligible in pediatrics. They also routinely attend and present at continuing educational sessions locally, regionally and nationally.
What Does a Hospitalist Expect of a Healthcare Professional?
Healthcare professionals can assist the hospitalist by providing any necessary medical, social or family history that may significantly impact the care of the patient. Healthcare professionals may also assist the hospitalist by participating in discharge planning and case management. Additionally, primary care physicians who have patients with complex medical needs may be asked to participate in care conferences before discharge.
What Is the Significance and Impact of a Hospitalist?
As more primary care physicians elect to use hospitalists to manage their patients who are admitted to an inpatient facility, discontinuity of outpatient and inpatient care has developed. The effects of this discontinuity were not initially known. Many studies have demonstrated the importance and positive impact of a hospitalist.
