Pediatric Hospitalist Workload and Sustainability in University-Based Programs: Results from a National Interview-Based Survey
Wide variability exists in the clinical workload of pediatric hospitalists without an accepted standard for benchmarking purposes. By using data obtained from interviews of pediatric hospital medicine (PHM) program leaders, we describe the clinical workload of university-based programs and report on the program sustainability perceived by PHM program leaders. The median clinical hours reported for a full-time pediatric hospitalist were 1,800 hours per year, with a median of 15 weekends worked per year. Furthermore, program leaders reported an ideal number of clinical hours as 1,700 hours per year. Half of the interviewed program leaders perceived their current models as unsustainable. Programs perceived as unsustainable were more likely than those perceived as sustainable to require a higher number of weekends worked per year or to be university employed. Further research should focus on establishing benchmarks for the workloads of pediatric hospitalists and on evaluating factors that can affect sustainability.
© 2018 Society of Hospital Medicine
CONCLUSION
This interview-based study of PHM directors describes the current state of clinical work models for university-based hospitalists. University-based PHM programs have similar mean and median total clinical hours per year. However, these hours are higher than those considered ideal by PHM directors, and many are concerned about the sustainability of current work models. Notably, programs that are university-employed or have higher weekends worked per year are more likely to be perceived as unsustainable. Future studies should explore differences between programs with sustainable work models and those with high levels of attrition and burnout.
Disclosures
The authors have no other conflicts to report.
Funding
A grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Hospital Medicine funded this study through the Subcommittee on Division and Program Leaders.
