He hopes to maintain some clinical practice, and says hospitalists have the advantage of blocking out scheduled times on service.
Dr. Sperring says it is “an exciting time” to be a hospitalist. “The way we’re used to defining care is going to change dramatically. Hospitalists will play a key role, both in direct care delivery but also in leadership,” he says. “I don’t think hospitalists have a choice but to lead change. It becomes part of our value proposition and a competency for all hospitalists.”
Dr. Hain often is asked by other hospitalists how to get started with quality initiatives that might lead to something more. “I always say the first one is free, in order to show that you can solve a quality problem while being a full-time clinician,” he explains. “It says to administrators that you’re someone who can deliver, and that starts you on your way. There’s always something to be done to improve quality in the hospital.”
Larry Beresford is a freelance writer based in Oakland, Calif.