Lisa A. Groskopf, D.O.

Hospitalist at Dreyer Medical Clinic

Hospital medicine is a relatively new specialty that focuses on the care of patients within the hospital.  The term “hospitalist” was first used by Dr. Robert Wachter in an article written in the New England Journal of Medicine, in 1996.  Dreyer Medical Clinic launched its hospitalist program on July 12, 1997 to optimize care for its inpatients.  It was one of the first programs in the area.  Hospital medicine, like emergency medicine, is a specialty organized around a site of care (the hospital), rather than an organ (like cardiology), a disease (like oncology), or a patient’s age (like pediatrics).  Hospitalists help manage a patient’s care throughout their entire hospital experience.  They see patients in the ER, admit them as an inpatient, and follow them as necessary through critical care or other units, arrange for appropriate outpatient care, or direct the patient to an alternative place of care (i.e. subacute rehabilitation facility).

Dreyer’s 10 plus years of hospitalist experience has been successful for patients, as well as physicians.  Dreyer’s six hospitalists spend all of their time caring for patients at the hospitals.  Dreyer also has a physician who cares for patients in subacute rehab facilities and nursing homes.  The majority of hospitalists do not see patients in an office, which allows for better access and improved patient care.  Research has shown hospitalists can reduce hospital stay costs and length of stays while improving the quality of patient care and satisfaction. 

These days, patients need intense support and the hospitalist program increases the availability of physicians throughout the day.  Nurses and other ancillary care staff find hospitalists are more available to respond to emergencies or other issues that may arise with their patients.  Instead of visiting a patient once per day, a hospitalist is available to see a patient many times during the day as conditions require.  Under this program, it is not necessary for the hospital staff to call a primary care physician’s office, wait for a return call, or wait until after office hours for the patient to be visited by the doctor.

The hospitalist program also improves access for other patients by allowing primary care physicians to focus on office visits without being called away or making daily rounds at multiple hospitals and nursing homes.  Dreyer physicians who are not based in the hospital have additional appointment times available and have a better opportunity to stay on schedule with shorter waiting room times. 

Excellent communication is the key to this program’s success.  Dreyer’s hospitalists work closely with primary care physicians, specialists, nursing teams, and other caregivers to ensure that a patient’s condition is routinely assessed and treatment is provided with around-the-clock physician oversight.  This communication is enhanced by the use of Dreyer’s electronic medical record.