Hospitalists and case managers: the perfect partnership.

Part of every hospital case manager's strategic advocacy is the promotion of a consistent partnership with the patient's primary clinical player. The presence of hospitalists, a new and growing specialty, offers the case manager an opportunity to advance that partnership. Instead of having to wait for a doctor whose practice is outside the hospital to review a test result or order a procedure, hospitalists can do the same thing faster--leading to greater efficiency, better care, and shorter stays for patients. Unlike private attendings who visit their hospitalized patients once a day for a few minutes, hospitalists spend all their time at the hospital. It's a perfect arrangement for a dynamic point-of-care partnership.