Tuesday, March 25
1:10-2:25 pm
Dr. Scheurer: Whether we like it or not, ICD-10 is right around the corner. This session will give an overview of what impact ICD-10 will have on our medical record documentation and coding, including how it can and will affect reimbursement. The more you know now, the better off you will be when your hospital implements it.
5 “Controversies in Perioperative Medicine”
Wednesday, March 26
11 am-Noon
Dr. Scheurer: We all know how much our surgeons depend on us to give them sound and evidence-based advice on how to manage surgical patients in the perioperative period. This session will review some controversial topics, from [the perspective of] two of the leaders in the field of perioperative medicine.
6 “Is It OK if I Sit Down?: Improving Patient Communication and Satisfaction at the Bedside”
Wednesday, March 26
11:45 am-12:25 pm
Dr. Fitterman: Any hospitalist or HM program leader struggling to raise patient satisfaction scores must attend this session. Recognizing that 30% of the value-based incentive pool for hospitals is directly linked to these scores, we all have “skin in the game.” Most hospitalists have part of their salary tied to patient satisfaction; however, many still lack the desired improvement in rankings despite multiple initiatives to address this issue. Four of the top five drivers of the patient experience are related to nursing, making our responsibility to impact this quite challenging. There is a correlation between the hospitals with the best satisfaction scores and lower patient mortality, so this is not just about the “chocolate on the pillow” but about filling gaps in care. I anticipate the discussion leaders will help us navigate this challenge with tips to bring back to our programs.
7 “Ending the Benevolent Dictatorship: Shared Decision-Making in the Hospital”
Wednesday, March 26
2:50-3:30 pm
Dr. Fitterman: This is a must attend for anyone interested in the “next blockbuster drug.” That is how patient activation and shared decision-making are being referred to (Health Affairs, February 2013). Where this has been implemented, patients have recognized better health outcomes, and there has been less decisional conflict (which likely equates to better satisfaction)—and all at lower costs. Sounds like a blockbuster drug, doesn’t it? The challenges I hope to see answered in this breakout session: First, most evidence wrapped around this topic is in the outpatient arena. Second, how do we overcome a lack of training in this field? Finally, how can we fit this into our busy workflows? Save me a seat.
8 “What Keeps Your CFO Awake at Night”
Wednesday, March 26
2:50-4:05 pm
Dr. Scheurer: The complexity of hospital finances can confuse even the brightest of hospitalists. This session will focus on the basics of what hospitalists should know and care about, as it relates to hospital finances. You won’t want to miss the concise opportunity to get informed.
9 “Different Generation/Different Concerns: Managing Boomers, Gen-Xers, and Gen Ys”
Thursday, March 27
8:45-9:40 am
Dr. Ma: This will likely be a contentious yet humorous session. The generational differences in attitude toward the practice of medicine can be very pronounced at times and certainly can lead to conflict in the workplace between the older and younger physicians. It’s important to recognize these differences without passing judgment and understand how they impact a practice.
10 “Effective, Efficient, and Prudent Syncope Evaluation”
Thursday, March 27
10:30-11:10 am
Dr. Suehler: Syncope is a frequent admission diagnosis for hospitalists. There is a wide spectrum of how hospitalists manage such patients (how long to monitor on telemetry, what additional tests to order). Hospitalists need to know how to provide a rational and cost-effective evaluation of patients with syncope and be able to identify patients who have a serious or life-threatening cause for their syncope.