Aloha … from BethC Gifford raises money for March of Dimes
Gifford hospitalist program, physician leader gain national attention
RANDOLPH, Aug. 2, 2010 – Gifford Medical Center’s hospitalist program and its hospital division medical director, Dr. Martin Johns, have once again been featured in a national magazine.
Gifford is held up as a success story in a cover article of the July edition of “Today’s Hospitalist” magazine titled “Success with midlevels: How does your group stack up?”
Hospitalists care solely for inpatients, freeing up primary care providers (in short supply nationally) to focus on patients coming into their outpatient clinics.
In a bold move for a small hospital, 25-bed Gifford launched its hospitalist program in 2006 when it hired Dr. Johns as its first hospitalist.
In the four years since, Gifford’s hospitalist program has grown to include four hospitalist physicians and four physician assistants. At the same time, Dr. Johns has not only climbed the ranks at Gifford to a medical director position but gained considerable attention nationally for his work developing a successful hospitalist model at a small hospital.
Dr. Johns has earned a spot on the editorial board of “Today’s Hospitalist.” He has also been featured in a variety of articles for both “Today’s Hospitalist” and other national publications, including co-writing an article for the prestigious American Journal of Cardiology.
In this latest article, Dr. Johns addresses Gifford’s success utilizing so-called “midlevel” providers, or physician assistants. The article describes physician assistants as “high-functioning members of the clinical team” at some hospitals while other medical centers are struggling to make the model work.
A lack of proper training and problems striking a balance between physician assistant autonomy and proper oversight are where some programs falter.
Dr. Johns describes Gifford’s up-front training program, unique scheduling, “call” support, and the balance the hospital has found between physician oversight and physician assistant independence. Each is a program trait that has attracted both physician assistants and physicians to Gifford’s program.
And all of this is good news for patients.
In a nation where access to care remains a barrier for many, Gifford’s 24-hour hospitalist program means patients can receive acute inpatient care in their own community, rather than always having to travel to a larger, tertiary care center. Patients’ primary care providers at Gifford also have more time to see patients in the office setting for routine or follow-up care because of the role hospitalists play.