MDH CONTRACTS WITH HOSPITALIST PHYSICIANS TO SUPPORT INPATIENT CARE
The McDonough District Hospital Board of Directors has approved a contract with AdvancedEmergency Specialists (AES), LTD., to provide hospitalist services at MDH beginning June 1.
AES is an established group of emergency medicine and hospitalist physicians whom currently assist with the operation of the MDH emergency room and provide medical staff support at both Cottage Hospital in Galesburg and Pekin Hospital in Pekin. Physicians from AES have been working in the emergency room department at MDH since 2009. The group is lead by James A. Klein, M.D.
A hospitalist is an acute-care physician who cares for patients in the hospital, from the time of admission until discharge. Advantages of a hospitalist program include the availability of the hospitalist physician to respond to care issues for inpatients. The hospitalist provides primary care physicians and other specialists with more time for office hours and reduced on-call time for primary care and other physicians. MDH initially looked to hire hospitalist employed physicians to begin the program July 1, but opted to contract with AES to implement the program as soon as possible.
“The hospitalist program is consistent with trends in health care,” said President/CEO Stephen Hopper. “It will enhance primary care support for inpatient services at MDH while allowing more flexibility for physicians.”
Hospitalist staff physicians supervise medical care for patients admitted through the emergency room or directly by their primary care physician. The philosophy is that the hospitalist and the primary care physicians are partners in patient care. The hospitalist will also supervise care in the hospital for patients who do not have a primary care physician.
The hospitalist program is expected to support physician recruitment efforts underway at MDH as many physicians completing residency programs are seeking employment opportunities in which they can devote more time to direct patient care in their outpatient or specialty setting, according to Hopper.
“The hospital continues to focus on the recruitment of physicians to the community,” Hopper said. “We are aware of the challenges residents of the area face by recent departures of physicians as well as the strain placed on area medical practices to serve the health care needs in the community. “
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