The hospitalist: the newest member of the care management team.
Implementing a hospitalist program can be an answer to improving quality while reducing the cost of inpatient care. This article provides information to guide the decision-making process needed to initiate a hospitalist program. Included is a definition of the hospitalist's role, indications of the improvement in the effectiveness and efficiency of hospital care that can be expected, guidelines for assessing readiness for implementation of a hospitalist program, the ingredients of a successful program, and evaluation of program goals.
Foster-Schuller
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Care Review Resources, Fountain Valley, CA, USA. CareReview@aol.com
D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D004496:Education, Continuing; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006739:Hospital Administration; D020445:Hospitalists; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010348:Patient Care Team; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016730:Program Development; D017749:Total Quality Management; D014481:United States