Hospitalist Services
What is a Hospitalist?
Hospitalists are physicians specially trained to address the unique needs of hospitalized adults. They care for patients in many areas of the hospital, including the main inpatient unit, Orthopedic Center, Surgery and Evaluation Center, including patients admitted from the skilled nursing facilities. Hospitalists have four years of medical school training as well as three years of residency training, usually in internal medicine or family medicine. The majority do not have an office practice, allowing them to devote their attention solely on the care of patients within the hospital. By focusing only on inpatient medicine, Hospitalists can stay up-to-date on advancements in patient care, and partner with hospitals to produce improvements in patient safety and quality of care.
Because of their around-the-clock presence, Hospitalists can follow up quickly on test results, respond to any emergencies, and are always available to answer questions or address concerns. Our team can communicate any changes in the plan of care to patients, family members, nurses and other physicians involved in a patient’s care.
Adult Inpatient Medicine Service
The Adult Inpatient Medicine Service (AIMS) is a dedicated Hospitalist Program within St. Vincent Health. The program, first established in 1996, was a new model to teach inpatient medicine to resident physicians to apply the evolving science of evidence-based medicine to healthcare and to relieve primary care physicians of the need to come to the hospital. Over the years it has evolved into an integrated, multi-site benchmark leader in the provision of quality inpatient care. The program provides patients with personalized care during their hospitalization and our Hospitalists are present at the facility 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week.
The majority of Adult Inpatient Medicine Hospitalists serve as clinician educators within the St Vincent Internal Medicine Residency, with a number also serving as adjunct teaching faculty for Indiana University. The close affiliation with an academic teaching model has proven to be a critical contributor to our high quality outcomes.
Orthopedic and Spine Hospitalist Service (OSHS)
The Orthopedic and Spine Hospitalist Service (OSHS) is a dedicated Physician and Nurse Practitioner-based service providing inpatient medical management for Orthopedic and Spine patients at St. Vincent Indianapolis. The team has substantial expertise in both Hospitalist Medicine and Geriatric Medicine, with the majority of the providers having a background in nursing home rehabilitative care. OSHS functions in close partnership with the surgical teams for a true co-management relationship. The OSHS providers work to ensure a clear understanding of the medical-surgical interface for each case.
The OSHS staff the Orthopedic Surgical Evaluation Center (SEC) to ensure a detailed pre-operative risk optimization in order to minimize peri-operative complications and day of surgery cancellations. Post-discharge continuity of care is facilitated by ongoing patient involvement by OSHS providers at the Orthopedic Transitional Care Unit (OTCU).
A daily interdisciplinary team huddle with case managers and charge nurses helps facilitate patient-specific care needs, discharge planning and shortened length of stay. The OSHS is a comprehensive 24/7 Hospitalist service spanning the spectrum of orthopedic and spine peri-operative care needs.
Senior Acute Care Service (SACS)
Hospitalization of older persons is associated with a higher risk for adverse events such as delirium, functional decline, and the need for a complex array of post-acute services. In consideration of the need to optimize inpatient Geriatric care services the Adult Inpatient Medicine Service has created a team specialized in the unique needs of these patients. The Senior Acute Care Service (SACS) team was formed in 2009 with a primary objective to improve outcomes for the hospitalized elderly on all fronts including maximizing independence, prevention of readmissions, and improved patient/family satisfaction.
SACS currently serves the 86th street campus, admitting patients of St. Vincent’s Center for Healthy Aging, Advanced Healthcare Associates, many of the area’s surrounding skilled nursing facilities, and patients of 3 house-call physicians (Drs. Riley, Conner, and Walbridge).
SACS is also a geriatrics consult service. Common consultations include acute confusion, dementia, nutrition concerns, mobility concerns, pain, incontinence, and discharge planning. The team takes a comprehensive approach to consultative care, addressing polypharmacy, social and discharge needs. SACS is currently engaged in patient safety and quality initiatives such as patient falls and improved transitions of care, and meets regularly with area physicians for feedback and discussion.
SACS may be reached via its 24-hour in-house pager 8087 (338-3550).