Every other year, SHM’s practice analysis subcommittee invites all U.S. hospital medicine groups to participate in the State of Hospital Medicine (SOHM) survey. Your responses generate the authoritative report on how today’s hospital medicine groups are organized, scheduled, funded, compensated, staffed, and much more. After months of refining and updating, the survey opened on Jan. 11. The time has arrived for you to respond to this critical survey!
Empower Your Hospitalist Program
Hospital medicine has seen the most dramatic growth and evolution of any specialty in the last two decades. Although all practices innovate in response to shifting demands, leaders and hospitalists alike need to understand how the frontrunners in this dynamic field have adapted. The SoHM report summarizes thousands of data points about the latest trends in hospital medicine practice design and productivity.
Hospitalist group leaders depend on this information to draw comparisons against national benchmarks, both for improvement and as a frame of reference for demonstrating the value your group provides to your hospital. However, the report is only as good as the number and quality of the responses to the survey.
How To Get Engaged
Responding to the survey is straightforward through the web-based questionnaire, and only one response is needed from each group. The survey does require some modest preparation to look up such practice characteristics as CPT code distribution, total RVU generation, and average number of shifts per FTE. For many groups, a hospitalist and a practice manager can collaborate to answer all of the questions accurately. If you haven’t already, take some basic steps to prepare:
- Discuss the survey at your next group meeting and advocate for responding.
- Determine who will complete the survey on behalf of your group.
- Visit www.hospitalmedicine.org/survey and download the survey instrument and instructions, share them with the lead respondent for your group.
- Submit your responses by March 11.
Of note, you’ll also want to participate in the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) survey, as well. SHM licenses key portions of the SoHM report from MGMA, such as provider compensation, so the complete report depends on having great responses to both instruments.
Why Participate?
First, hospitalist groups that respond to the Survey will get a FREE copy of the report. Have you wondered things like:
- “How many groups are using a scheduling model other than 7-on, 7-off?”
- “What percentage of groups staff an observation unit?”
- “Are hospitalists groups taking on new roles in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)?”
- “How does compensation differ for providers who see children or are in academics?”
If so, you’ll have those answers at your fingertips and a whole lot more.
Second, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you helped to make the SoHM report the indispensable tool upon which group leaders everywhere depend. The survey is anonymous, but respondents will know that the report presents data on the most relevant HM group of all—your own! Don’t wait.
Participate today at www.hospitalmedicine.org/survey. TH
Dr. White is assistant professor of medicine at the University of Washington and group director at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.