Consistent acute coverage provides immediate surgical interventions for patients with urgent needs, ensuring rapid access to surgical expertise and contributing significantly to positive patient outcomes. Historically, surgical needs have been covered by community physicians, but as healthcare changes and community surgeons wish to be unburdened from unassigned care to focus on their elective practice, a need for surgical hospitalists emerged. At CarolinaEast, the team has seen enhanced efficiency and outcomes, improved community surgeon relationships and increased collaboration and satisfaction.<\/p>\n
Acute care general and acute orthopedic surgery programs are designed to promptly address a wide range of emergency surgical conditions. By providing timely and expert care, this coverage helps reduce complications, morbidity and mortality rates associated with acute surgical conditions. Patients benefit from expedited evaluation, diagnosis and treatment, leading to improved outcomes and enhanced quality of care.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just taking call. For the tricky cases, we bring a level of quality that patients and hospitals need,\u201d says Dr. Jonathan Scherl, TeamHealth\u2019s national medical director of acute orthopedic surgery. \u201cWe also bring availability beyond call coverage, offering follow-up care, non-surgical consultations, clinic hours and more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Consistent surgical coverage also streamlines hospital operations and boosts efficiency. This efficiency not only benefits patients but also optimizes resource utilization and enhances the overall operational effectiveness of the hospital. Additionally, by streamlining surgical services and reducing the length of stay, these programs can lower overall healthcare costs and improve resource allocation within the hospital.<\/p>\n
Acute coverage can increase the productivity of elective surgeons. This can also lead to enhanced recruiting efforts for specialists, as relieving unassigned call burden is a vital recruiting point. The hospital and patients likewise benefit from prompt evaluation as on-site surgeons provide surgical services instead of waiting for community physicians to see patients at the conclusion of their elective schedules.<\/p>\n
At CarolinaEast, the hospital and community physicians have benefited from the acute surgical coverage, as community physicians are freed from unassigned call coverage and can perform elective cases unencumbered. Moreover, the acute care general surgery program is also able to provide service for some urgent elective cases when community surgeons have extended appointment wait times for patients, many of whom are in the high renal failure population.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re providing a lot of comprehensive care, including some services that are unique to CarolinaEast, and it has been very good for the community,\u201d says Dr. Tom Davis, TeamHealth\u2019s facility medical director of acute general care surgery at CarolinaEast and medical director of the wound clinic\/hyperbaric medicine program. \u201cWe\u2019ve been very responsive to the hospital\u2019s needs, and we are integral here.\u201d<\/p>\n
The enhanced coverage from these programs fosters collaboration among multidisciplinary healthcare teams. This collaborative approach enhances communication, coordination and teamwork \u2013 resulting in better patient outcomes and a more cohesive healthcare delivery system. Additionally, teams experience increased staff satisfaction with prompt and courteous surgical consults when needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe TeamHealth surgeons at each hospital are ingrained in the hospitals and in the communities,\u201d says Dr. William Tapscott, TeamHealth\u2019s national medical director of acute care general surgery. \u201cThey become committee members, chairpersons of departments and participate in community outreach. And, they have the huge resource backing of TeamHealth.\u201d<\/p>\n
CarolinaEast has also benefited from the long-term leadership of facility medical directors in acute care general surgery and acute orthopedic surgery. Both have brought a level of consistency and steadiness to the team that increases collaboration and satisfaction. By working together seamlessly, these programs ensure comprehensive and holistic care for patients with acute surgical needs.<\/p>\n
Consistent in-house surgical coverage is indispensable and plays a vital role in improving patient outcomes, enhancing hospital efficiency and driving financial sustainability. The close relationships we foster with our partners help us bring tailored solutions to meet their unique challenges, and the long-standing partnership at CarolinaEast is a testament to this. To learn more about partnering with us,\u00a0please get in touch.<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” top_padding=”60″ constrain_group_1=”yes” bottom_padding=”60″ text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” row_position_desktop=”default” row_position_tablet=”inherit” row_position_phone=”inherit” overflow=”visible” class=”resource-download” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” gradient_type=”default” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” flex_gap_desktop=”10px” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][toggles style=”minimal”][toggle color=”Default” heading_tag=”h4″ heading_tag_functionality=”default” title=”Download a PDF”]