Evolving practice of hospital medicine and its impact on hospital throughput and efficiencies

Hospitalists are uniquely positioned to implement strategies to improve patient flow and efficiency. Hospital leaders have stated they expect hospitalists to comanage surgical patients, participate in observation units, and screen medical admissions, in addition to providing inpatient care for medical patients. We review how the hospitalists' role in acute inpatient care, surgical comanagement, short stay units, chest pain units, and active bed management has improved throughput and patient flow. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2012. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine