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. 2025 Aug;20(8):903-907.
doi: 10.1002/jhm.70047. Epub 2025 May 5.

Improving promptness and quality of hospitalist-consultant interactions at an academic teaching hospital

John M Cunningham  1 , Robert Leverence  1 , Nico Gotera  1 , Phillip A Minor  1 , Nathan Sevigny  1 , Ankur Segon  1
Affiliations

Improving promptness and quality of hospitalist-consultant interactions at an academic teaching hospital

John M Cunningham et al. J Hosp Med. 2025 Aug.

Abstract

Communication between consulting and consultant services is essential to provide high-value care. We implemented a collaborative project between hospital medicine (HM), emergency medicine (EM), and departmental leadership of the major consulting services to provide feedback regarding consultant communication, promptness, and follow-up planning. We conducted pre- and postintervention surveys of HM and EM clinicians and measured the mean turnaround time (TAT) from consult order to consultant note completion. Perceptions of consultant promptness and follow-up communication improved postintervention. Mean TAT was significantly reduced postintervention (1098 vs. 1011 min, p = .002, confidence interval [CI]: 30.7-143.3). A collaborative approach using interdepartmental feedback improved perceptions of the quality of interactions with consulting services.

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