10 Years After - Pioneering Hospitalist Program Continues to Improve Care and Make History.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 2004 Cogent Healthcare's program at Good Samaritan Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital may refer to: In the United States:
helped launch national movement in hospital medicine Ten years after it was launched as one of the first hospitalist hos·pi·tal·ist n. A physician, usually an internist, who specializes in the care of hospitalized patients. hospitalist programs in the nation, Cogent Healthcare's program at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles continues to improve the quality and efficiency of care for patients. The program's success led to the creation of Cogent Healthcare, today one of the nation's leading hospitalist companies, and helped launch a national movement to change hospital care. "Because the hospitalist physicians improve the efficiency of hospital care, patients are able to go home earlier, and our best practices approach to care means that patients get the care that the latest research recommends for their condition," said Ron Greeno, M.D., one of the original hospitalist physicians and co-founder and chief medical officer for Cogent. Dr. Greeno was honored for his leadership in the field by the Society of Hospital Medicine, which presented him with the 2003 Award of Excellence for Outstanding Service in Hospitalist Medicine. Nationally, Cogent programs are successful in reducing length of stay up to 30%, reducing readmission readmission Managed care The admission of a Pt to a health care facility for a condition–eg, stroke, MI, GI bleeding, hip fracture, cancer surgery, shortly after discharge. See nth admission. Cf Admission, Discharge. rates as much as 50%, and saving $400 - 1,000 per case, while achieving satisfactions rates of 98% for patients and 95% for primary care physicians. Good Samaritan Hospital President & CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Andrew B. Leeka said, "Through their well-organized inpatient care inpatient care Managed care Services delivered to a Pt who needs physician care for > 24 hrs in a hospital management and their best practices approach, the Cogent hospitalist program is a proven way to help effectively absorb the increased demand for healthcare services provided in hospital settings, as experienced here at Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles. We look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries with them here at Good Sam." Among the program's milestones are: -- Outstanding patient satisfaction. The approximately 22,000 patients cared for through the program report an amazing 99% satisfaction rate, as compared to a national hospital satisfaction rating of 80%. -- Shorter length of stay. More efficient care translates into average lengths of stay that are significantly below national averages for Medicare and Medicaid Medicare and Medicaid U.S. government programs in effect since 1966. Medicare covers most people 65 or older and those with long-term disabilities. Part A, a hospital insurance plan, also pays for home health visits and hospice care. patients. -- Improved care. The program influences hospital-wide standards in patient care that are now standard procedure, such as moving patients to a lower level of care within a day or two after surgery if medically advisable. -- Innovations in care. Hospitalist physicians participated in pioneering work with orthopedic surgeons that reduces complications and saves lives. -- Improved patient safety and a reduction in unnecessary hospital admissions with special programs such as phoning patients at home after discharge, answering the questions that 80% of patients have that could impact their recovery. "Over the years, we've learned that for a hospitalist program to continue to improve care over time, systems and clinical teams need to be in place to support the physician," said Dr. Greeno. "These systems included clinical care coordinators to work with the doctors, best practice guidelines practice guidelines Medical practice A set of recommendations for Pt management that identifies a specific or range of range of management strategies. See Peer review organization, Practice standards. Cf 'Cookbook' medicine. for the most common hospital illnesses, and sophisticated communication and information systems." In addition to improved patient care, the program also provides care more cost-effectively, saving time and money that translates into financial benefits for everyone. "At the time we started this program, the idea was rather revolutionary," said Glen Hollinger, M.D., medical director of Good Samaritan Medical Practice Association, the group of physicians contracted to provide services at the hospital. "We saw this approach as a way to improve the efficiency and quality of care in the hospital. Over the years, the improvements achieved by the hospitalist group have enhanced patient care and helped our IPA IPA - International Phonetic Alphabet (independent physicians association) to remain viable financially while many other groups failed." Hospitalist physicians at Good Samaritan Hospital were also pioneers in working with surgeons, including Dr. Joel Matta, to care for their orthopedic patients before and after surgery. "Hospitalists have improved patient care. They can manage a deep vein thrombosis A blood clot (thrombos) in a vein deep within the muscle, typically in the thigh or calf. It is caused by disease or the lack of activity such as sitting for hours at a computer screen. prophylaxis prophylaxis (prō'fĭlăk`sĭs), measures designed to prevent the occurrence of disease or its dissemination. Some examples of prophylaxis are immunization against serious diseases such as smallpox or diphtheria; quarantine to confine program, and they can manage this more effectively and more safely than we can," said Dr. Matta, an orthopedic surgeon at Good Samaritan. "By having hospitalists manage care for orthopedic patients, we have reduced deep vein thrombosis in patients with hip fractures from 30 to 40 percent to less than 5 percent, and reduced death from pulmonary embolism Pulmonary Embolism Definition Pulmonary embolism is an obstruction of a blood vessel in the lungs, usually due to a blood clot, which blocks a coronary artery. to near zero," noted Dr. Andrew Fishmann, Cogent co-founder and board member who heads Cogent's physician mentoring program. Dr. Fishmann, a recent recipient of the Society for Hospital Medicine's prestigious 2004 Award for Clinical Excellence, was appointed last winter by Health and Human Services Noun 1. Health and Human Services - the United States federal department that administers all federal programs dealing with health and welfare; created in 1979 Department of Health and Human Services, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to the National Advisory Council, which makes recommendations to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, n.pr formerly known as the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, this agency researches the quality of medical care and health services. . The program that evolved at Good Samaritan became the Cogent model of hospitalist care which is now in place in 13 markets throughout the United States at some of the nation's top hospitals, including Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Florida, this year's winner of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award for quality, and Lee Memorial Hospital Health System in Southwest Florida, named one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals by the Solucient Company. A hospitalist is a physician that specializes in the care of the hospitalized patient and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to attend to the changing needs of the patient. The hospitalist movement has grown tremendously in the last decade, with between 7,000 and 8,000 hospitalists in the United States today. That number is expected to increase to 25,000 by the end of this decade, according to the Society of Hospital Medicine. About Cogent Healthcare, Inc. Cogent Healthcare, Inc. is a leading provider of services that improve the well being of hospitalized patients. Its vision is to improve care and efficiency by reducing variations in care, establishing best practices, identifying and removing barriers to efficient care, and measuring outcomes. To this end, the company provides comprehensive programs in clinical care staffing, communication, and data management that support the hospitalist physician in the delivery of inpatient care. For more information, visit www.cogenthealthcare.com or contact Bill Behnke at (949) 399-6038. About Good Samaritan Hospital Honored as the 'Best Medical Center' in downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or for five years running (Downtown News, 7/03) 408-bed Good Samaritan Hospital (GSH GSH reduced glutathione. GSH reduced glutathione. ) is an established leader in tertiary care tertiary care Managed care The most specialized health care, administered to Pts with complex diseases who may require high-risk pharmacologic regimens, surgical procedures, or high-cost high-tech resources; TC is provided in 'tertiary care centers', often . First opened in 1885, the non-profit hospital is now home to many regional Centers of Excellence that draw patients from across the U.S. and internationally. For more information, visit www.goodsam.org. |
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