Hospital Medicine

Here we go again!  Once again, we are hearing in the community that the Western Maryland Health System is forcing patient to go to our doctors (hospitalists) and not allowing their doctors to have privileges in the hospital.  Obviously, nothing can be further from the truth.  The majority of primary care docs who previously had both an inpatient and office practice have chosen to focus on an office practice exclusively.  I only wish that THEY would better inform THEIR patients of their decision to give up THEIR inpatient privileges.  We wrote letters on their behalf to hand to their patients; some handed them out, others didn't and some posted them on the waiting room wall along with a thousand other announcements.  It is left to us to educate the public and we will, but it would sure be nice to have a little help.