Q: So what is hospitalists’ value, and what are they experts in?
A: We’re experts at systems, hospital systems. … We understand better than anyone what goes on in the hospital, the physicians’ practice, the nursing practice, the administrative practice. … I mean, we’re there. We’re on the floors. No one has a better insight into the function of the hospital than the hospitalists. I think the other unique role we have is we see trends that other specialties don’t. We don’t really own our patients. Our patients come and go, but we tend to have a unique view of the practice of medicine that we see trends maybe before other specialists. … We see some of the failures of other systems.
Q: What is your least favorite part of being a hospitalist?
A: The clerical work. I think I probably speak for most people in that the clerical work is needed. It has become an increasing part of our practice in that now we spend a great deal of our time obviously in front of computers as opposed to at the bedside. The electronic medical record, which is good, which has served us well, becomes a greater and bigger part of our day, and so we find that it is too much a part of my day. I’m not saying it’s not needed because I think it has improved the quality of care we deliver, but it’s not something that you imagine that you should be doing as a physician. You are spending most of your day in front of a computer as opposed to most of the day with patients.
Q: What’s your favorite part of the job?
A: It has changed over my career. I think it probably started out in education. I enjoyed teaching medical students and residents, and certainly, that’s still a part of it, but then I think it has evolved into a little bit more of an academic interest. I just published my first book this past year and am working on my second book, and that has become sort of my bigger focus now. TH
Richard Quinn is a freelance writer in New Jersey.