SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Determining Methods of Preferred Communication Between Hospitalists and PCPS

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This project examined how hospitalists and primary care physicians (PCPs) prefer to communicate during hospital-to-office transitions at a 500-bed New York City hospital. Communication between hospitalists and PCPs is known to be inconsistent nationally, often due to uncertainty about whom to contact, limited time, and perceived lack of benefit. At this institution, frustration has been especially common around medication errors and poor transition of care.<br /><br />The team identified the ten PCP practices with the highest number of hospital admissions in 2019 and surveyed 57 PCPs from those practices. A parallel survey was sent to inpatient providers, including attending hospitalists, advanced practice providers, and internal medicine residents. The survey used a 4-point Likert scale to rank preferred communication methods.<br /><br />Responses showed clear differences by provider group and EMR access. EMR in-basket messaging was preferred by 67% of PCPs and 52% of inpatient providers. Secure chat was strongly favored by inpatient providers (90%) but much less so by PCPs (38%). Email was considered convenient by nearly 70% of all providers. Both groups viewed office phone calls as unfavorable. Cell phone calls were preferred by 30% of PCPs, but 63% of inpatient providers found them inconvenient.<br /><br />The study also found that PCP practice type and whether they shared the hospital’s EMR influenced preferences. PCPs within the same health system generally preferred EMR in-basket or email, while those without shared EMR access, often in federally qualified health centers or solo practices, tended to prefer cell phone or email.<br /><br />The authors conclude that improving EMR interoperability across practice settings could strengthen hospitalist-PCP communication and improve satisfaction during care transitions.

Asset Subtitle

Vasundhara Singh

Meta Tag

Author List Jenny Sun, Shantheri Shenoy MD, Vasundhara Singh

Category Innovations

Concept Primary Care Physician

Concept Transitional Care

Concept Hospitalist Role

Concept Communication Preferences

Concept Hospital EMR

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Mount Sinai West

Presenting Author Vasundhara Singh

Track Transitions of Care

Keywords

hospitalist

primary care physicians

care transitions

hospital-to-office communication

EMR interoperability

secure chat

in-basket messaging

email communication

medication errors

transition of care

Primary Care Physician

Transitional Care

Hospitalist Role

Communication Preferences

Hospital EMR