Medical society opposes mandatory use of "hospitalists" - Short Takes - Brief Article

Physician Executive, July-August, 1999

In Florida, the state medical association has come out strongly against health insurers mandating the uses of "hospitalists." While many primary care physicians have been voluntarily handing off the responsibility for hospital care to physicians who work full time in a hospital, some insurers have been moving to make this switch mandatory rather than voluntary. A number of health plans have been employing hospitalists in an effort to reduce unnecessary admissions and to cut patients' length of stay

The medical society is seeking legislation that would prohibit such a mandate by an insurer. The association's action reportedly was sparked by a new hospitalist program by Prudential HealthCare. The plan requires most primary care physicians to refer patients to a hospitalist because the doctors do not meet the guidelines the insurer has established for hospital care The insurer reports that only four out of several hundred physicians have refused to refer their patients to hospitalists. According to the insurer, its program is not mandatory since it will work with any doctor who would like to be able to meet Its benchmarks. Some outside observers say that Florida could set the standard for the rest of the nation In the use of hospitalists and whether insurers will be able to require referrals to them.