As HM continues to grow, the need for clear and accurate data about the specialty will only become more intense. Hospitalists and HM group leaders use survey information to better understand how they compare to other practices across the country, in terms of size and practice characteristics, as well as compensation and productivity.
Increasingly, healthcare executives are turning to survey data—either independently or via their hospitalist group leaders—to get a grasp on the best practices in the industry.
That’s why SHM teamed up with the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), the industry leader for professional administrators and leaders of medical group practices, to research and develop the State of Hospital Medicine: 2010 Report Based on 2009 Data.
Previously, SHM created and fielded a biannual survey, then analyzed the results independently.
Our partnership with MGMA expands our survey population, delivers more information, and brings MGMA’s 90 years of industry credibility in the medical practice management field.
—Leslie A. Flores, MHA, SHM senior advisor for practice management
“Our partnership with MGMA expands our survey population, delivers more information, and brings MGMA’s 90 years of industry credibility in the medical practice management field,” says Leslie A. Flores, MHA, SHM senior advisor for practice management. “The 2010 survey gives hospitalists and hospital administrators an unprecedented snapshot of the state of hospital medicine.”
The 2010 report will be available this month in the “Practice Resources” section of the SHM website (www.hospitalmedicine.org).
The print version will be available to SHM members for $125; for $175, members receive both the print version and the report on CD-ROM.
“This is a first-ever opportunity for hospitalists, group leaders, and healthcare executives to get the clearest picture possible of a rapidly changing industry,” Flores says. TH
Brendon Shank is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia.
SHM Adopts Strict Code for Industry Relations
A long with nearly 20 other organizations, SHM has adopted the Code for Industry Relations (http://cmss.org/) established by the Council on Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS). In an era of digital communication, SHM has created a Web area (www.hospital medicine.org/industry) to continuously update its policies toward industry, display its current partnerships, and disclose the potential conflicts of interest of its board or directors, editors, and CEO.
The message from SHM leadership: SHM is committed to being a leader in an era of transparency and disclosure.
Transparency serves an important role for medical specialty societies, says Norman B. Kahn Jr., MD, executive vice president and CEO of CMSS. The code developed by CMSS and adopted by SHM “assures in interactions with industry that the patients’ needs come first,” Dr. Kahn says. “The bottom line is that this is all about protecting the independence of societies from industry without abrogating the relationship.”
From its early days, SHM has been aware of the need to balance the responsibilities of speaking for HM and the need to disclose any potential conflicts of interests. In 2000, SHM developed its Principles of Organizational Relationships (www.hospitalmedicine.org/OrgRelationships), which have guided the society’s efforts.
The principles call for a clear, bright line that is a barrier between the support of a partner and SHM’s control of content. Among other activities, SHM has applied those principles to meetings and educational initiatives, quality-improvement (QI) projects, and publications.
The principles also were the foundation for the tough conflict-of-interest policies (www.hospital medicine.org/interestpolicies) the board approved in 2005.
Over the last decade, as HM has grown, national hospitalist leaders have become the experts on a wide range of topics and are asked to speak, write, or advise government agencies, foundations, and industry.