The Key Principles and Characteristics of an Effective Hospital Medicine Group: An Assessment Guide for Hospitals and Hospitalists

BACKGROUND Despite the growth of hospital medicine, few guidelines exist to guide effective management of hospital medicine groups (HMGs). METHODS The Society of Hospital Medicine Board of Directors appointed a workgroup consisting of individuals who have experience with a wide array of HMG models. The workgroup developed an initial draft of characteristics, which then went through a multistep process of review and redrafting. In addition, the workgroup went through a 2-step Delphi process to consolidate characteristics and/or eliminate characteristics that were redundant or unnecessary. Over an 18-month period, a broad group of stakeholders in hospital medicine and the broader healthcare industry provided comments and feedback. RESULTS The final framework consists of 47 key characteristics of an effective HMG organized under 10 principles. CONCLUSIONS These principles and characteristics provide a framework for HMGs seeking to conduct self-assessments, outlining a pathway for improvement and better defining the central role of hospitalists in coordinating team-based, patient-centered care in the acute-care setting. They are designed to be aspirational, helping to raise the bar for the specialty of hospital medicine. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2014;9:123–128. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine