Vascular surgeon-hospitalist comanagement improves in-hospital mortality at the expense of increased in-hospital cost.

OBJECTIVE: We have shown that vascular surgeon- hospitalist co management resulted in improved in-hospital mortality rates. We now aim to assess the impact of the hospitalist co management service (HCS) on healthcare cost. METHODS: A total of 1558 patients were divided into three cohorts and compared: 516 in 2012, 525 in 2013, and 517 in 2014. The HCS began in January 2013. Data were standardized for six vascular surgeons that were present 2012-2014. New attendings were excluded. Ten hospitalists participated. Case mix index (CMI), contribution margin, total hospital charges (THCs), length of stay (LOS), actual direct costs (ADCs), and actual variable indirect costs (AVICs) were compared. Analysis of variance with post-hoc tests, t-tests, and linear regressions were performed. RESULTS: THC rose by a mean difference of $14,578.31 between 2012 and 2014 (P < .001) with a significant difference found between all groups during the study period (P = .0004). ADC increased more than AVIC; however, both significantly increased over time (P = .0002 and P = .014, respectively). A mean $3326.63 increase in ADC was observed from 2012 to 2014 (P < .0001). AVIC only increased by an average $392.86 during the study period (P = .01). This increased cost was observed in the context of a higher CMI and longer LOS. CMI increased from 2.25 in 2012 to 2.53 in 2014 (P = .006). LOS increased by a mean 1.02 days between 2012 and 2014 (P = .016), and significantly during the study period overall (P = .018). After adjusting for CMI, LOS increases by only 0.61 days between 2012 and 2014 (P = .07). In a final regression model, THC is independently predicted by comanagement, CMI, and LOS. After adjusting for CMI and LOS, the increase in THC because of comanagement (2012 vs 2014) accounts for only $4073.08 of the total increase (P < .001). During this time, 30-day readmission rates decreased by ∼7% (P = .005), while related 30-day readmission rates decreased by ∼2% (P = .32). Physician contribution margin remained unchanged over the 3-year period (P = .76). The most prevalent diagnosis-related group was consistent across all years. Variation in the principal diagnosis code was observed with the prevalence of circulatory disorders because of type II diabetes replacing atherosclerosis with gangrene as the most prevalent diagnosis in 2013 and 2014 compared with 2012. CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital cost is significantly higher since the start of the HCS. This surge may relate to increased CMI, LOS, and improved coding. This increase in cost may be justified as we have observed sustained reduction in in-hospital mortality and slightly improved readmission rates.

A chief of service rotation as an alternative approach to pediatric otolaryngology inpatient care.

IMPORTANCE: Maintaining an outpatient practice and providing high-quality inpatient care pose significant challenges to the traditional call team approach. OBJECTIVE: To introduce a unique rotating hospitalist inpatient program and assess its clinical, educational, and financial impact. The chief of service (COS) program requires 1 attending physician to rotate weekly as chief of the inpatient service with no conflicting elective duties. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a retrospective internal billing data review performed at a tertiary pediatric hospital. A total of 1241 patients were evaluated by the COS from October 2012 through October 2013. INTERVENTIONS: All patients were treated by the inpatient service under the supervision of the COS. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: A retrospective analysis of patient encounters and procedures, including International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, locations of service, clinicians, service dates, and average weekly relative value units (RVUs). RESULTS: Over the study period, the COS was involved in the care of 1241 patients, generating 2786 billable patient encounters. The COS averaged 11.2 patient encounters per day. The most common reasons for consultation were respiratory distress, dysphagia, and stridor. Of patient encounters, 63.0% resulted in a procedure; 82.8% of those procedures were performed in the operating room with the most common being lower airway endoscopy (340 [19.4%]). The average weekly RVUs for the COS (232) were comparable with those of the average weekly outpatient clinic and procedural RVUs of the other otolaryngology faculty in the group (240). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The COS program was created to meet the clinical, educational, and organizational demands of a high-volume and high-acuity inpatient service. It is a financially sustainable model with unique advantages, particularly for the staff who maintain their outpatient practices without disruption and for the trainees who have the opportunity to work closely with the entire faculty. Patients are provided supervised evaluations and continuity of care. This rotating hospitalist program is a viable alternative to the full-time hospitalist staff model.

Pediatric hospitalist systems versus traditional models of care: effect on quality and cost outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric hospitalist systems are increasing in popularity, but data regarding the effects of hospitalist systems on the quality of care has been sparse, in part because rigorous metrics for analysis have not yet been established. We conducted a literature review of studies comparing the performance of pediatric hospitalists and traditional attendings. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of pediatric hospitalists on quality and outcome metrics such as length of stay, cost, patient satisfaction, mortality, readmission rates, and use of evidence-based medicine during care. RESULTS: A Medline literature search identified 11 studies that met criteria for inclusion. Five previously reviewed studies reported lengths of stay between 6% and 14% shorter for hospitalists. Five of the new studies evaluated lengths of stay, with 1 showing significantly lower length of stay and cost for a faculty model, 1 showing lower length of stay for hospitalists for all conditions, 1 for certain conditions only, and 2 showing no statistical difference. Six studies reported on readmission rate, with 4 showing no difference, 1 showing decreased readmissions for hospitalists, and 1 showing decreased readmissions for a traditional faculty service. Hospitalists self-report higher use of evidence-based guidelines. Few differences in patient satisfaction were reported. Mortality on the pediatrics wards is rare, and no studies were adequately powered to evaluate mortality rate. CONCLUSION: Hospitalists can improve the quality and efficiency of inpatient care in the pediatric population, but the effect is not universal, and mechanisms underlying demonstrated improvements are poorly understood. We propose 4 components to improve quality and value in hospital medicine systems: investment in comparative effectiveness research involving delivery system interventions, development and implementation of pediatric quality measures, better understanding of improvement mechanisms for hospital medicine systems, and increased focus on quality and value delivered by hospital medicine groups and individuals.