Overview
Hospitalist medicine is the fastest growing medical specialty in the U.S., and surgical hospitalists are especially poised for rapid growth. Many hospital systems see surgical hospitalists as the most valuable response to the growing crisis of general call coverage and as a critical strategy in their effort to comply with quality measures. Surgical hospitalist programs developed out of necessity, to ensure specialist coverage for ED unassigned patients, improve ED responsiveness in critical specialties, reduce the burden on the medical staff, and solve the problems presented by staffing shortages. Nevertheless, surgical hospitalist programs have become profitable for many hospitals.
