Background: Hospital medicine continues to evolve as a specialty amid increasing demands and workforce challenges. Understanding hospitalists’ perspectives is essential for informing retention strategies and enhancing care delivery. This study examined the perspectives of hospitalists practicing in Wisconsin.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of hospitalists in Wisconsin, which included demographic information, work characteristics, and their perspectives on job satisfaction, workplace challenges, professional development needs, and potential strategies to address these challenges. Free-text responses were analyzed thematically, and summary statistics were used to describe the quantitative data.
Results: Ninety-three hospitalists participated in the survey. The majority (91.4%) had a background in internal medicine, and 36% had five or fewer years of experience. Most reported managing an average of 11–15 patient encounters per shift. Overall, 76% indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with their job. The most significant challenges identified included excessive time spent on documentation/EMR (43%), patient-related issues such as placement and prolonged stays (42%), frequent distractions (e.g., pages, meetings) (42%), burnout (32%), and peer-to-peer reviews or denials (31%). The greatest educational need reported was for evidence-based clinical updates (72%). Qualitative analysis of free-text responses showed perceived needs for reduced administrative burden, improved compensation, and enhanced staffing models. Furthermore, most hospitalists recommended that professional societies prioritize advocacy (89%), professional development and career advancement (69%), and continuing medical education or training (65%).
Conclusions: The study highlighted hospitalist perspectives in Wisconsin on workplace conditions, job satisfaction, and related challenges, alongside suggestions for potential solutions. Effectively addressing these challenges necessitates coordinated, multi-level interventions.
