The Results Are In: Surgical Hospitalist Programs Work!
Since our first surgical hospitalist program entered the medical scene in about 2007, Surgical Affiliates has been diligent about working with our hospital partners in measuring the results of these programs.
Originally, our mutual goal was to ensure consistent, quality surgical care for patients presenting with emergent surgical needs. In program after program, not only was that goal met, but we made the gratifying discovery that the surgical hospitalist collaboration boosted performance throughout a hospital, by improving the quality of care, reducing costs, and decreasing length of stay.
Now, these findings are official with the publication of five-year results from our collaboration with Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, a tertiary referral community hospital with 654 beds in California. Published in the prestigious peer-reviewed Journal of the American College of Surgeons, the study validated the fact that surgical hospitalist programs improve hospital results across the board and produce outcomes that are measurable and sustainable.
As reported in the Journal, the Surgical Affiliates Management Group’s acute care surgery model improved key hospital performance metrics:
- Decreased length of stay by 12%.
- Reduced complications by 43%.
- Lowered costs by 31%—a total of $2 million in a single year.
The importance of this study can’t be overstated: the outcomes, both clinical and financial, have been amazing. Surgical hospitalist programs have indeed come of age and proven themselves to be a valuable tool for hospitals and health systems to meet their clinical and financial goals.
Download the Case Study to read it in its entirety.
