Effect of Hospitalist Care on Medical Utilization

Abstract This chapter examines the effect of hospitalist care on hospital length of stay, hospital charges, and posthospitalization Medicare spending. The underlying study compared 58,125 hospital admissions and analyzed those cared for by hospitalists vs. primary care physicians. The chapter showed that patients under hospitalist care had shorter hospital stays and lower charges, but higher Medicare spending within 30 days of discharge due to increased readmissions and emergency department visits. The study highlighted a shift in costs from inpatient care to post discharge, where hospitalist care resulted in more discharges to skilled nursing facilities. Finally, the chapter emphasizes the need for better clinician continuity and care transition programs to address cost shifting and improve overall patient outcomes.