Research priorities for adult hospital medicine: A survey of US hospital medicine leaders

Abstract

Hospital medicine (HM), a well-established clinical specialty, requires clarity of research priorities to identify target areas for investment in HM research infrastructure and activities. The Society of Hospital Medicine's Research Committee developed a 20-item survey and used purposeful sampling of US hospitalist leaders to prioritize primary research topic domains and subdomains. Respondents were asked to rank their HM research priorities using a scale (1 [highest] to 8 [lowest]). Of 239 surveys distributed, 81 (34%) responded. Respondents were predominantly White (53%) and from academic institutions (57%). "Overall, 46% of respondents were male and 33% were female." Top-ranked research domains were innovation in care delivery (median 2, IQR 1,3), value-based care (median 3.5, IQR 2,6), and health disparities (median 4, IQR 2,5). This survey identified top HM research priorities including systems-based topics and health disparities, aligning with HM's identity as a specialty focused on improving systems of care and inequities in care.