Sound Inpatient Physicians and Obama discuss on health care reform

Aug 21 2009

Brett Kronenberger, M.D., a Chief Hospitalist of Sound Inpatient Physicians, and a group of community leaders held a private meeting with President Barack Obama prior to the Town Hall meeting on health care reform, in Belgrade, Montana last Friday.

Dr. Kronenberger is the incoming President of the Montana Medical Association. Controlling skyrocketing costs of health care was the focus of a private meeting with Dr. Kronenberger and five other community leaders. She leads a team of hospitalist physicians who practice at St. James Healthcare, a 100 bed hospital in Butte, Montana. “Our community physicians rely on our hospitalists to ensure they can provide care to patients in their offices. Our hospitalist model is vital to the inpatient hospital care delivered to patients. We coordinate care for patients of more than 50 local primary care physicians and specialists,” notes Dr. Kronenberger.

“Sound’s physicians write over $2 million in medical orders in the hospital per year. These costs are comprised of direct care, diagnostic tests, various therapies, and pharmaceuticals,” notes Dr. Kronenberger. “My message to the President was that hospitalists play a pivotal role in controlling medical dollars spent in managing the hospitalized patient. I explained that in order to reform health care it is critical to combine skilled clinicians and implement processes and technology that can drive performance.”

Hospitalist medicine is the fastest growing medical specialty in U.S. There are now more than 20,000 hospitalists—primarily internal medicine and family practice physicians who focus their careers on inpatient care exclusively. Sound’s hospitalists and hospitalist RNs are part of a nationwide team who implement clinical processes and technologies, designed to drive improvements in quality, utilization and satisfaction. By driving performance in a systematic approach, hospitalists ensure the facilities they serve meet the fiscal challenges hospital administrators face today.

Sound Inpatient Physicians’ model for hospitalist medicine also helps reduce unnecessary readmissions by using a standardized process including patient follow-up immediately after hospitalization. Sound’s call center contacts all its patients to ensure compliance with medications and appointments are scheduled with their physician. Sound incorporates its proprietary web-based technologies to facilitate communication among all caregivers.

“Sound Inpatient Physicians’ hospitalist model is just one example of how the private sector in America is driving the improvements needed to meet the healthcare challenges we face today,” said Dr. Kronenberger.