Cost-Conscious Care

The idea of cost-conscious care challenges the hospitalist to add value through the proper selection of tests and therapies for individual patients. Awareness of direct and indirect costs of testing or therapies is one component of cost-conscious care. However, the hospitalist should use all available resources to supplement their history and physical examination in order to support their clinical decision-making. Tools that can support the hospitalist include experience, evidence-based medicine, and specialty society recommendations. Further, the hospitalist must become aware of the costs of testing or therapies through the use of cost calculators online. The hospitalist should encourage awareness of cost-conscious care with patients and colleagues.