Hospitalists Lead the Charge
It is clear that our nation’s hospitals will be incentivized and mandated to create processes and produce outcomes based on national performance standards and data. This will require a re-engineering of the hospitals and their medical staffs. Hospitalists will be charged (as part of their job description) to be physician leaders in making this happen. Unfortunately, their training in medical school or residency has not provided them with all the skills in QI measurement or implementation that they will need. That is where SHM comes in.
Whether developing tools and workbooks or developing educational and implementation strategies, SHM will be innovative and on the cutting edge. Just as importantly, SHM will be on the lookout for like-minded organizations to partner with to raise the visibility and necessity of QI. We will not shy away from helping to set performance standards just because they may create initial discomfort with some of our members. We will not back off from developing creative strategies to push QI down to more than 4,000 acute care hospitals just because it is difficult and at times daunting.
Hospitalists are on the front line of change. Our patients, our institutions, our fellow physicians, and the other members of the healthcare team want and need a better system. There is no standing still. There is no turning back. The time is now. It is our turn, and hospitalists, with SHM’s help, are ready to step up and make it happen. TH
Dr. Wellikson has been CEO of SHM since 2000.