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As the prevalence of total hip and total knee arthroplasty procedures increase over the next decades, hospitals seek opportunities to improve quality outcomes while simultaneously limiting costs and mitigating risks of complications. The Joint Commission's Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement (THKR) certification is one of the highest quality standard certification programs in the nation and is the only one that collaborates with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. To obtain THKR certification, several requirements based on evidence-based clinical practice guidelines must be met. The process is described from initial identification of stakeholders to ongoing efforts to retain certification. Joint Commission THKR certification was awarded after rigorous review and on-site visit. Compliance with advanced care standards from the time of orthopedic consultation through postsurgical follow-up was reviewed. Joint Commission THKR certification provides supporting evidence of the institutions journey in processes toward delivering high quality clinical care. A multidisciplinary team with ongoing collaboration is necessary to obtain and retain certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There are now more than 50,000 hospitalists working in the United States. Limited empiric research has been performed to characterize clinical excellence in hospital medicine. We conducted a qualitative study to discover elements judged to be most pertinent to excellence in clinical care delivered by hospitalists. Methods: The chiefs of hospital medicine at five hospitals were asked to identify their "clinically best" hospitalists. Data collection, in the form of one-on-one interviews, was directed by an interview guide. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the informants' perspectives were analyzed using editing analysis to identify themes. Results: A total of 26 hospitalists were interviewed. The mean age of the physicians was 38 years, 13 (50%) were women, and 16 (62%) were non-white. Seven themes emerged that related to clinical excellence in hospital medicine: communicating effectively, appreciating partnerships and collaboration, having superior clinical judgment, being organized and efficient, connecting with patients, committing to continued growth and development, and being professional and humanistic. Discussion: This qualitative study describes how respected hospitalists think about excellence in clinical care in hospital medicine. Their perspectives can be used to guide continuing medical education, so that offered programs can pay attention to enhancing the skills of learners so they can develop towards excellence, rather than using only competence as the desired target objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Changes in the US healthcare economic system are requiring academic health centers (AHCs) to restructure in pursuit of their traditional tripartite missions; engaging the individuals focused on clinical care is becoming more important. We conducted this study to guide our institution's transformation by identifying ways to formally recognize clinicians who are excelling in patient care and understand which forms of acknowledgment would be acceptable and motivating.Methods: A survey was developed by a large committee with representation spanning the AHC and was sent electronically in spring 2014 to stakeholders across the institution. Items assessed perceptions of the importance and present state of valuing clinical excellence, the utility of 14 potential metrics to assess clinical excellence, and the meaningfulness of seven potential rewards for clinical excellence. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models analyzed differences (P < 0.05) by respondent sex, ethnicity, academic rank, primary clinical affiliation, and time spent in patient care and research activities.Results: A total of 1716 of 3168 (54%) stakeholders responded, including 1198 of 2151 (56%) individuals from academic hospitals, 114 of 276 (41%) from the outpatient affiliated practices, and 304 of 741 (54%) from satellite locations. Nearly everyone (96%) agreed that clinical accomplishments should be recognized, although a minority (47%) believed that clinicians were already valued. Most respondents selected 7 or more of 14 metrics as valid and reasonable for assessing clinical excellence. Popular metrics (eg, clinical productivity) were not believed to represent clinical excellence as much as others (eg, professionalism). Multivariate analysis found the least agreement among stakeholders on using published scholarship as evidence for clinical excellence, with the widest differences comparing senior faculty versus nonfaculty (88% vs 27%) and those with >75% of their time spent in patient care versus others (37% vs 73%). Most (six of seven) types of reward were perceived as meaningful by the majority of respondents, with little variation among subgroups across bivariate and multivariate analyses.Conclusions: This system-wide assessment was successful at identifying new strategies for recognizing clinical excellence. Other AHCs seeking institutional transformation may wish to perform a similar assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the professional performance's peer assessment through hospitalist physicians. The study examined the responses of 22 hospitalist physicians in assessing the clinical skills of their peers. The study shows that the correlativity among scale details and the variable that states the chosen doctor of a person for his or her loved one renders validity evidence to the assessment scale. Thus, the study could be used in identifying the top performers in the hospital.

The article focuses on the application of appropriate evidence-based practice through partnership efforts to address demands posed by critical care standards. It provides information with regards to matters on the effectiveness of health care delivery in the critical care set-up which include suggestions on the improvisation of skills and knowledge of health care personnel through research and other related tools. It emphasizes on the importance of peer networks in fostering this practice.