Background: Sitting at the bedside improves patients’ perception of their interactions with their physicians. Despite these data, prior work shows that medicine interns sit during only 9% of observed physician-patient interactions. We aimed to assess perceived importance of and barriers to sitting at the bedside among a group of internal medicine residents. These results have [...]

Background: During hospitalization, many patients cannot identify the physician responsible for their care. Among patients cared for by a hospitalist, many of them are meeting their hospitalist for the first time. Previous work has shown that patients can meet up to 7 physicians and 18 other health professionals during a hospital stay. The large number [...]

Background: Patient and family experience of care is a keystone of high-value care and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ value-based purchasing incentives for hospitals. As a result, most hospitals and health systems nationally have invested in improving patient experience. While hospitalists can greatly influence patient experience priorities, there is little is known about [...]

Background: Discharge from an in-patient hospital stay is a critical opportunity to teach patients about their medications. Communication about medications and appropriate transition of care are two domains of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey via which patients evaluate hospitals. Communication about new medications and side effects is one of [...]

Background: Patient experience is one of the key foundations of quality care. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS) is the standard measurement of patient experience, and higher scores have been linked to improved clinical outcomes and reduced readmissions. Few published interventions have improved HCAHPS scores in inpatient settings. Interventions utilizing [...]