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Characteristics and Work Experiences of Hospitalists in the United States
Timothy H. Hoff, PhD;
Winthrop F. Whitcomb, MD;
Kevin Williams, PhD;
John R. Nelson, MD;
Rae Ann Cheesman, BA
Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:851-858.
Background Little is known about the personal characteristics, work-related attitudes,
or professional experiences of hospitalists. In considering the future of
hospital medicine as a viable career choice for physicians (primarily, internists),
these issues should be examined in a systematic fashion. Learning more about
hospitalists and their work can enhance dialogue about the advantages and
shortcomings of such a career from the perspective of the individual physician.
Methods A self-administered mail survey was sent to 820 hospitalists who are
dues-paying members of the National Association of Inpatient Physicians and
who spend 50% or more of their time doing clinical work, teaching, or research
related to hospital medicine. Attitudes about topics such as job-related burnout
and job satisfaction were tapped, as well as information about different professional
and social experiences. The analyses were performed using descriptive statistics
and analysis of variance techniques.
Results Analysis was based on 393 responses (48% response rate). Results show
hospitalists to be a group of younger, mostly male, early-career individuals
with high levels of job satisfaction and autonomy, low levels of burnout,
and a long-term commitment to remaining in the role. Hospital medicine is
a source of positive social and professional work experiences related to interactions
with physician peers, patients and their families, and nonphysician hospital
coworkers. Key components of hospitalists' jobs, practices, and workload are
coalescing. However, certain developments, such as changing patterns of compensation
and the enlisting of more general internists and women as hospitalists, merit
further examination.
Conclusions The results offer insight into the physicians who are becoming hospitalists,
the jobs and settings in which they work, and how hospitalists experience
their everyday work lives. Valuable baseline data are provided for assessment
of attitudes, such as burnout, that should be examined regularly in this fledgling
group. This study complements research looking at the performance-related
outcomes of hospitalists, and it can be used by various stakeholders to better
understand and assess the long-term potential of what is being proposed as
a new career path.
From the Department of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior, University
at Albany, State University of New York (Drs Hoff and Williams and Ms Cheesman);
Inpatient Medicine Service, Mercy Hospital, Springfield, Mass (Dr Whitcomb);
and Hospital Internal Medicine, PA, Gainesville, Fla (Dr Nelson).
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