Collaborative Patient Care
Collaborative Patient Care is a way that Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - All Saints provides high-quality care while enhancing timeliness and cost-effectiveness. Under collaborative patient care, the physicians dedicated to hospitalized patients (hospitalists) are at that particular site. The primary care physician who participates in this program dedicates his/her time to seeing patients in the office.
The Program
Some Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group physicians participate in this program. Ask your doctor’s office if he or she participates in Collaborative Patient Care.
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - All Saints patients whose doctors participate in the Collaborative Patient Care Program have their care and treatment coordinated by a hospital-based Adult (Internal) Medicine physician, otherwise known as a hospitalist. The hospitalist visits patients daily, updates their primary care physician on the patient’s health status and consults with the primary care physician when necessary. This close working relationship between the primary physician and hospitalist is known as Collaborative Patient Care.
Benefits of Collaborative Patient Care
The Benefits of the Collaborative Patient Care Program include:
- A hospitalist is a physician dedicated to working in the hospital who is more readily available for you and your family.
- Physicians in the office are interrupted less often, thereby reducing your waiting times and the need to reschedule appointments.
- Site-based physicians develop increased expertise in specific areas and practice more effective disease management since they see more patients with the same types of symptoms or diagnoses.
- There is a greater attention from the physician on-site.
- This model has enhanced our ability to recruit and retain physicians, which improves access in our community.
The benefits of having a hospitalist include:
- The hospitalist is much more readily available. If you or a family member wants to speak to the physician, you won’t have to wait until your primary care physician makes rounds. Instead, the hospitalist can help to meet your and your family’s need.
- The hospitalist reviews tests in a more timely manner, gives you the results more promptly and involves specialists and/or consultants efficiently.
- Your discharge will be handled faster.
- The hospitalist is on-site for emergency room consultations, readily assisting the emergency room physician with questions or decisions about whether or not you should be hospitalized.
Will the Hospitalist be in Contact with my Primary Physician?
Yes. During hospitalization, the hospitalist keeps your primary physician apprised of your status and consults with him or her when needed. The physicians are in contact with your primary care team by a variety of personal and electronic media including telephone, e-mail and fax. In addition, as a member of Wheaton Franciscan Medical Group, your physicians have ready access to your electronic medical record. The primary physician is also involved in your “global” health issues, such as your general hospitalization goals and your personal wishes regarding life support. However, day-to-day management of your care (for example, ordering lab tests or reviewing test results) are handled by the hospitalist.
Not as a rule. To enhance care for all patients, specific physicians will be dedicated to the hospitalized patient. During the day, Monday through Friday, your hospitalist manages your care while you are hospitalized. Evening and weekend hours are handled on a rotational basis among your physician’s department members. Each patient’s situation is considered on an individualized basis, so an exception could be made for your primary physician to visit in special circumstances.
Can I Still See my Sub-Specialist?
Yes. The role of the sub-specialist (for example, a cardiologist, nephrologist, gastroenterologist, etc.) under this program does not change.
Will This Increase Costs?
Since the program means more effective management of time and resources, costs are maintained or even improved.
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare - All Saints
3801 Spring Street
Racine, WI 53405
(262) 687-4011