Community Physicians as Hospitalist

There is debate going on with Medical staff at Citrus valley Hospitals if community physicians should be involved in taking care of ED panel patients who do not has any assigned MD or patients who do not have any insurance. Hospital Administration is forcing Internist to work as a hospitalist group and lower the LOS or loose privilege to be on ED panel.Being on ED panel has been a source of revenue for many established Internist in San Gabriel Valley area and has been a great way to help establish a new doctor in community in long term.
I believe that it is is the responsibility of every physicians who work in hospital to utilize the resources responsibly and make their best efforts to keep Length Of Stay ( LOS) under control so that hospital is not loosing money. As a community Internist we can practice and also take care of those pts. if we work part time as hospitalist.

Pankaj Karan,MD