Hospitalist perspective on pandemic related clinical and administrative changes: a cross sectional survey study

ABSTRACT

Objective

Hospitalists have played a leading role in caring for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Many clinical and administrative changes occurred in hospitals to meet the varied pandemic needs. We surveyed hospitalists to understand their perspective on pandemic-related changes in technology, models of care, administration and leadership, impact on personal lives, and which of these changes should be continued versus reverting to pre-pandemic practices.

Methods

A 30-question survey was distributed to hospitalists working across the United States between 6 April 2022 to 16 May 2022. Baseline demographics were measured, and post-pandemic perspectives related to changes were analyzed. Perspectives were measured using a 5-point Likert scale and responses were categorized into ‘agree’ and ‘did not agree’ for analysis. Variation was assessed using Chi-square or Fisher exact tests. Open-ended questions were reported following qualitative content analysis organized into themes and reported as frequency.

Results

177 respondents (39%) completed the survey. Nearly three-fourths favored hybrid meetings, and two-thirds preferred to continue new models of care. Nearly 90% desired more family and leisure time, continued wellness, and support services, and resumption of social gatherings. No major differences in perspectives were noted between hospitalists at teaching facilities and non-teaching facilities except for resuming protected time for non-clinical activities in those from teaching facilities (83.0% vs 62.5%). Respondents less than age 50 were more likely to prefer virtual meetings (59.0% vs 31.3%). Content analysis of open-ended questions resulted in different themes for each question. Respondents favored more work-life balance and less administrative and logistical work burden.

Conclusions

Hospitalists preferred to continue the use of technology and new models of care even in the post-pandemic period and express a desire for more work-life balance and less administrative and logistical work burden.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19 pandemic
• hospitalist perspective
• technology
• work-life balance
• post-pandemic practices
• post-pandemic era

Declaration of financial/other relationships

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Tulay Aksoy, Nikita Patil, Sarah Baron, Harvir Gambhir, Sandeep Pagali. Survey questionnaire development & Data Analysis: Tulay Aksoy, Nikita Patil, Sarah Baron, Harvir Gambhir, Chiara Mandel, Sandeep Pagali. Data Collection: Chiara Mandel. Manuscript writing: Tulay Aksoy, Nikita Patil, Sarah Baron, Harvir Gambhir, Sandeep Pagali. Manuscript revisions & Editing: Tulay Aksoy, Nikita Patil, Sarah Baron, Harvir Gambhir, Chiara Mandel, Sandeep Pagali.

Ethics statement

This study was granted exempt status by the Institutional Review Board of Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/21548331.2023.2206230

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.