PSTF Monitors Quality

The Hospitalist. 2006 December;2006(12):

December 1, 2006 | The Hospitalist

Jill Epstein

2005-2006 Survey Factoid

Use of PAs and NPs in hospital medicine groups

Thirty percent of all hospital medicine groups (HMGs) employ nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs).
Those groups, on average, have 11.2 physicians and 2.8 NPs/PAs. The 70% of groups without NPs/PAs average 7.9 physicians per group.
The following types of groups are more likely to employ NPs/PAs: academic programs, groups in the eastern U.S., and groups more than 5 years old.
The frequency with which NPs/PAs perform certain functions in HMGs is summarized in this table:

NP/PA Function - % of HMGs

Round daily on hospitalized patients - 83%
Write prescriptions for patients - 82%
Perform H & Ps upon admission - 77%
Act as initial responder (consults, admits) - 66%
Participate in discharge planning - 66%
Order specialty consultations - 53%
Assist in teaching students - 33%
Night or weekend call - 30%
Post discharge follow-up calls - 20%
Emergency response; Code Blue - 14%
Perform invasive procedures - 11%

Source: SHM’s 2005-2006 “Biannual State of the Hospital Medicine Movement” survey.

Conference Review

Kaiser Permanente Hospital Medicine Conference

On September 7-8 the 8th National Kaiser Permanente Hospital Medicine Conference took place at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego. The conference offered participants a maximum of 14 AMA Physician’s Recognition Award (PRA) Category 1 credits. SHM representatives were present at the event to answer any questions about membership and to increase support and awareness for the hospital medicine movement. Conference attendees were given pertinent materials on the movement and copies of SHM educational supplements.

Throughout the conference, SHM held a drawing for a $100 gift certificate to the newly launched SHM Store (www.hospitalmedicine.org; click “SHM Store”). The store is the place to order everything SHM, from meeting registration and membership to educational products and SHM logo apparel.

SHM would like to congratulate Lorraine A. Eubany, MD, the winner of the SHM Store drawing. Thank you, Dr. Eubany, for visiting with us at the Kaiser Conference in San Diego. TH