BEACON â July 2009 - Beebe Medical Center

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Julie Holmon, MD, MedicalDirector of the Hospitalistprogram, discusses a patient’sdiagnosis with Beebe radiologistMichael Ramjattansingh, MD.A Team Approach for Quality CareHospitalist TeamJulie Holmon, MD, Medical Director of the Hospitalist program at BeebeMedical Center, reviews records of hospitalized patients when she comeson duty. The previous night had been a busy one, she observes. One of thefloor nursing supervisors called the hospitalist on duty at 2 a.m. to check ona patient, and Dr. Holmon has been asked to discuss the patient’s conditionwith the adult daughter later that morning. She sees that there is a patientwho needs a carotid duplex scan. Another patient has been closely watcheddue to respiratory problems caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), all too common in a community with an older population ofwhich many have smoked. As she leafs through the pages, the two otherhospitalists on duty greet her.“We have a good team that works well together,” she says. “We believethat the Hospitalist program is one that enhances communication betweenthe patients, their families, and our hospital staff. It definitely improvesoverall patient care.”Beebe Medical Center has 10 hospitalists. They all are Board Certified,with the majority of their certifications in internal medicine, a branch ofmedicine that deals with the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseasesaffecting the internal organs of the body, especially those in adults.As hospitalists, they specialize in caring for hospitalized patients. ThereJennifer Walker, MD, sits in front of an Emergency Department computer.6
are at least three hospitalists on duty during the day and one during the night.They are all based in the hospital and do not have separate, private practices.“I believe having a Hospitalist program makes it easier to get tests done andto order studies. Also, by working with case managers, we can make sure thata patient gets follow-up care after leaving the hospital,” Dr. Holmon explains.Over the past decade, Beebe Medical Center, like other hospitals across thecountry, observed that with the advent of better medications, more stringentpayer rules regarding hospital stays, and the increased use of outpatient facilities,patients admitted to a hospital often are older and more seriously ill. They aremore likely to be suffering from chronic and complex diseases. Many have survivedorgan transplants and multiple cancer treatments. Consequently, they needmore care, more often, and a hospital-based physician becomes a necessity tomaintain quality care. While teaching hospitals already had physicians on duty 24hours, community hospitals did not. The Hospitalist program furnished the solution.Hospitalists provide an around-the-clock physician presence and do notdepend solely on Emergency Department physicians who are responsible to carefor patients suffering life-threatening illness and injury. Hospitalists, who becomefamiliar with individual medical centers, also are in a perfect position to recommendopportunities for improvement and to develop new methods of care.An Innovative Approach at BeebeBeebe Medical Center introduced the hospitalist concept in 2005 as a way tomaintain the quality and continuity of care of its hospitalized patients. It startedout with one physician who admitted patients into the hospital who had noHospitalist Anas Atrash, MD, reviews a patient’s chart before reporting back tothe primary care physician.“We believe thatthe Hospitalistprogram is onethat enhancescommunicationbetween thepatients, theirfamilies, and ourhospital staff.”—Julie Holmon, MDJulie Holmon, MD, checks on a patient inthe Orthopaedic Department at Beebe.7
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Page 5: Boating Rules• Wear a life jacket
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Page 11 and 12: Giving Backa problem, and anyone, e

BEACON â July 2009 - Beebe Medical Center

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BEACON â July 2009 - Beebe Medical Center