Pediatric Hospitalists

The pediatric hospitalist program at Washington Hospital was started in July 2003 and is now staffed by general pediatricians who are affiliated with UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. Pediatric hospitalists at Washington Hospital are all board-certified general pediatricians who have completed a three-year residency in pediatrics.

The program currently has seven hospitalists and covers the inpatient service 24/7. The group covers approximately 65 percent of inpatients and provides care to approximately 98 percent of pediatric patients.

The hospitalists at Washington Hospital provide general pediatric care for inpatients and Emergency Department patients whose primary physicians do not have admitting privileges at Washington Hospital or have contracted with the hospital to use the services of the hospitalists group. The hospitalists remain in close contact with the patient’s pediatrician throughout the hospital stay, especially on admission and at the time of discharge from the hospital so that excellent continuity of care is provided. The pediatric hospitalist provides care in the following areas:

• inpatient care for a 12-bed pediatric unit;
• necessary consultations in the Emergency Department
• inpatient consults on surgical patients
• newborns in the well baby nursery
• coverage for the level 2 Washington Special Care Nursery overnight with backup by a neonatologist.

The goal of this program is to provide outstanding evidence-based pediatric inpatient care and to enable hospitalized sick children to be taken care off in their community thus remaining closer to home.

Pediatric hospitalists are working on projects such as improving lactation services at Washington Hospital; supporting Washington Hospital's Baby-Friendly designation; improving quality of care to all hospitalized children with asthma and newborns on the birthing center; fostering "Family-Centered Care" at Washington Hospital.