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SHM White Papers

As a part of SHM’s mission, we strive to provide our members with up-to-date research on hospital medicine, as well as opinions from various thought-leaders throughout the specialty.

These thoughts and research are reflected in special publications from SHM. Our white papers provide facts and opinions on several different areas of hospital medicine. Through the work of SHM’s various committees, task forces and specialists in each area, these publications are born to be a resource for hospitalists.

The Observation Unit White Paper

“The Observation Unit: An Operational Overview for the Hospitalist” is the work of the SHM Expert Panel on Observation Units. As there is an increasing role for the Hospitalist in Observation Medicine, the panel wrote this paper for Hospitalists and Hospital Medicine administrators to better understand both the implications of Observation Medicine for the Hospitalist and the basics of observation unit operations.

The white paper summarizes key findings with respect to observation unit operations and staffing, clinical care and outcomes, economics, and performance measurement.  Sample admission and discharge criteria, clinical protocols and suggested performance measures are included as a “starter set” for those considering a new program.

Convened in 2007, SHM's Expert Panel on Observation Units included physicians, pharmacists, nurses and case managers with expertise in hospital medicine, emergency and observation medicine, and cardiology. 

View the Observation Unit White Paper

Career Satisfaction White Paper

The first white paper, titled “A Challenge for a New Specialty: A White Paper on Hospitalist Career Satsifaction”, is the work of the SHM Career Satisfaction Task Force. The Task Force wrote this paper for hospitalists, hospital medicine programs, and hospitals to use as a resource to improve job satisfaction.

The white paper is divided into what the Task Force identified as the four pillars of career satisfaction – autonomy/control, workload/schedule, reward/recognition and community/environment. For each of the four pillars, the paper outlines recommendations and specifies tools that hospitalist employers can use to improve the work environment.  Also included within the paper is a questionnaire that individual hospitalists can use to identify what factors are important to them in a job and how their current position is meeting their needs.

Formed in 2005, SHM’s Career Satisfaction Task Force was assembled to identify opportunities to promote an environment to create hospitalist job satisfaction. The main mission is to ‘identify specific working conditions in hospital medicine that promote success and wellness; to provide resources to enhance career satisfaction and to promote more research into hospitalist career satisfaction and help avoid burnout.’

View the Career Satisfaction White Paper.

Dashboard White Paper

The second white paper in the series is titled, “Measuring Hospitalist Performance: Metrics, Reports, and Dashboards.” This white paper is the work of SHM’s Benchmarks Committee.

The ‘Dashboard White Paper’ identifies 10 key performance metrics for hospitalists which are divided into three categories: descriptive, operational and clinical. In addition to identifying metrics and describing measurement issues, the paper outlines a five step process for developing a customized approach to performance reporting.

SHM’s Benchmarks Committee began their work on this white paper in 2005 and set out with the goal to help hospitalists develop a common language and conceptual framework for monitoring performance. During the process, the committee kept these three common questions from hospital medicine groups in mind:

• What aspects of performance should we monitor?
• How and where do we get the information we need?
• What should we do with the information once we have it?

The paper addresses these and related questions, while making general recommendations based on best practices.

View or Purchase a copy of Measuring Hospitalist Performance: Metrics, Reports, and Dashboard.

Advocacy White Paper

An additional white paper authored by SHM's Public Policy Committee, “Hospitalists: Leading the Way to More Effective, Higher Quality Health Care”, was created to introduce policymakers to hospitalists and their role in the U.S. health care system. The paper is intended to help legislators adopt policies and implement programs that recognize the value that hospitalists bring to the delivery of healthcare.

Following a brief overview of the evolution to hospital medicine, the paper provides demographic information on hospitalists, and explores their practice models, as well as education and training. The paper also examines the value hospitalists bring to health care and concludes with policy recommendations that could further define the value of hospitalists in improving the delivery of healthcare.

View a copy of Hospitalists: Leading the Way to More Effective, Higher Quality Health Care