Pediatric Hospitalist
Basic Function
The hospitalist physician is an internal medicine consultant or a pediatrician who provides direct inpatient medical care by diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries of human internal organ systems.
Scope
The hospitalist consultant pediatrician/ internist is responsible for admission, work-up, daily management, and ultimately discharge of admitted patients on their service. Works as part of a collaborative team to provide direct inpatient medical/pediatric medical care at the consultant level, and must promote coordination of care among other consultants, care management, outpatient primary care providers, medical designated facilities, and hospital services. The hospitalist is responsible for ensuring patients and families receive adequate communication regarding their care and treatment plans. Facilitates timeliness of care and is accountable for care delivered within the appropriate facilities. Provides a medical consultation service for other specialists who have admitted patients and who require assistance with the management of complex medical conditions. Finally, as an expert in the management of hospitalized patients, the hospitalist physician will be expected to serve on various hospital committees or taskforces in order to help improve the care of patients in the hospital. Pediatric Hospitalist may be utilized in outpatient if needed, in a time not to exceed 20% -30% during the year.
Principal Contacts
Has daily direct contact with hospitalized patients and their families, other hospitalist physicians, other consultant physicians and surgeons, primary care physicians, care managers, nurses, other members of the care team (respiratory therapists, rehab services, dietary, etc …)
Principal Duties
- Evaluate and manage all inpatients admitted to the Hospitalist service during scheduled hours
- Perform initial history and physical exam on admission where appropriate or cosign it if was done by junior staff.
- Lead inpatient team to develop timely and appropriate discharge planning and transition of care to the primary care physician or medical designated facility
- Provide coverage for other hospitalists’ patients when working outside of the regular business hours.
- Work closely with acute care managers in order to smoothly coordinate both inpatient care and transition of patient to other care settings
- Work closely with and communicate effectively with primary care physician for all hospital admissions
- Evaluate and manage ER admissions as appropriate
- Work closely with other consultants and hospital staff in a manner that reflects hospital’s mission and core values
- Maintain lines of communication open with patients and families
- Advise hospital in the development and implementation of inpatient guidelines to care and critical pathways in conjunction with key specialty partners
- Work in a cooperative manner with chain of command to resolve concerns and complaints
- Work with the chain of command to continuously improve the Hospitalist program in a collaborative manner
- Assist in administering and operating the program in an efficient and effective manner subject to any directives specific to the program.
- Coordinate, supervise, participate in, and evaluate volunteers, summer students, or trainees enrolled in the professional development program.
- Promptly complete all medical records as directed by hospital policies and procedures
- Perform other duties relating to the program as requested by the Hospitalist Unit Head or hospital administration
Experience
- Three years’ practice in the relevant field with experience managing inpatients preferred.
- Experience as a Hospitalist preferred
- Valid medical license from country of origin
Certifications/Other requirements as applicable
- Must have effective communication skills with both lay and clinical people from many different cultural backgrounds.
- Must be able to work effectively with hospital medical staff, nursing staffs, and administration.
- Must be able to deal rapidly with changing situations.
- Excellent oral and written English