A multispecialty practice will stop sending patients to St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena, Mont., because the group refuses to pay an extra fee for hospitalists to cover its patients, according to a report by the Helena Independent Record.
St. Peter’s told Helena Physicians’ Clinic on Dec. 10 it would no longer allow the clinic's physicians to use the hospital unless it paid a substantial fee, which was not specified, for hospitalists' coverage. As an alternative, the group could also post one of its physicians at the hospital when its patients are there, the hospital said.
Claiming other doctors with privileges at the hospital are not under such a requirement, the clinic decided on Dec. 13 it would stop using the hospital at the end of the month.
"After extensive discussions and efforts to seek alternative resolutions, physicians at our clinic made the difficult decision to resign admitting privileges at St. Peter’s Hospital," the clinic stated in an open letter to the community. When clinic patients are admitted to St. Peter’s, "another physician will be in charge of their care," it added.
However, two physicians announced they will be leaving the eight-physician group and one of them will work as a hospitalist at St. Peter's.
Having started its hospitalist program in 2004, the 99-bed hospital decided the fee was needed because of the clinic's greater patient volume requiring additional hospitalists, said hospital spokeswoman Peggy Stebbins.
"It is unfortunate that Helena Physicians Clinic, part of the regional, multi-specialty Great Falls Clinic, has chosen not to provide this continuum of care to their patients," Ms. Stebbins said. "Physicians are responsible for obtaining hospital coverage for their own patients, not the hospital."
Read the Helena Independent Record report on hospitalists.
Read more coverage of hospitalists:
- Why the Independent Hospitalist Practice is Here to Stay
- Study: Hospitalists With Lower Base Salaries Are More Productive
- 5 Trends in Hospital Staffing for the Next Five Years
St. Peter’s told Helena Physicians’ Clinic on Dec. 10 it would no longer allow the clinic's physicians to use the hospital unless it paid a substantial fee, which was not specified, for hospitalists' coverage. As an alternative, the group could also post one of its physicians at the hospital when its patients are there, the hospital said.
Claiming other doctors with privileges at the hospital are not under such a requirement, the clinic decided on Dec. 13 it would stop using the hospital at the end of the month.
"After extensive discussions and efforts to seek alternative resolutions, physicians at our clinic made the difficult decision to resign admitting privileges at St. Peter’s Hospital," the clinic stated in an open letter to the community. When clinic patients are admitted to St. Peter’s, "another physician will be in charge of their care," it added.
However, two physicians announced they will be leaving the eight-physician group and one of them will work as a hospitalist at St. Peter's.
Having started its hospitalist program in 2004, the 99-bed hospital decided the fee was needed because of the clinic's greater patient volume requiring additional hospitalists, said hospital spokeswoman Peggy Stebbins.
"It is unfortunate that Helena Physicians Clinic, part of the regional, multi-specialty Great Falls Clinic, has chosen not to provide this continuum of care to their patients," Ms. Stebbins said. "Physicians are responsible for obtaining hospital coverage for their own patients, not the hospital."
Read the Helena Independent Record report on hospitalists.
Read more coverage of hospitalists:
- Why the Independent Hospitalist Practice is Here to Stay
- Study: Hospitalists With Lower Base Salaries Are More Productive
- 5 Trends in Hospital Staffing for the Next Five Years