Amanda Rillo

Hospitalists at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor have developed a tool to help facilitate patient communication with physicians and to "actively participate in their treatments," says Aaron Farberg, MD. "Their treatment plans will, in turn, be more effective," Dr. Farberg adds.

Called Dear Doctor (DD) notes, the tool is a pre-formatted notepad placed on a bedside table for hospital patients to consult throughout their stay. Patients can write down questions under three suggested prompts: diagnosis and treatment, tests and procedures, and medications. Such a simple tool is "absent in the inpatient setting, and can have an impact on a patient’s perceived and actual medical care," Dr. Farberg says.

Family members of patients can also benefit from DD notes by voicing their questions or concerns to the physicians. “Often their active participation in the healthcare plan is an essential element in successful treatment,” Dr. Farberg says.

Surveyed patients experienced better communication with hospitalists and had an enhanced experience with their providers and hospital. Patients and their families were happy their questions were answered and not forgotten. They had a sense of control and accountability in their own care. The study urges hospitalists and care providers to be mindful of the patient’s entire experience throughout hospital stay. TH

Visit our website for more information on hospitalists and patient communication.

Hospitalists at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor have developed a tool to help facilitate patient communication with physicians and to "actively participate in their treatments," says Aaron Farberg, MD. "Their treatment plans will, in turn, be more effective," Dr. Farberg adds.

Called Dear Doctor (DD) notes, the tool is a pre-formatted notepad placed on a bedside table for hospital patients to consult throughout their stay. Patients can write down questions under three suggested prompts: diagnosis and treatment, tests and procedures, and medications. Such a simple tool is "absent in the inpatient setting, and can have an impact on a patient’s perceived and actual medical care," Dr. Farberg says.

Family members of patients can also benefit from DD notes by voicing their questions or concerns to the physicians. “Often their active participation in the healthcare plan is an essential element in successful treatment,” Dr. Farberg says.

Surveyed patients experienced better communication with hospitalists and had an enhanced experience with their providers and hospital. Patients and their families were happy their questions were answered and not forgotten. They had a sense of control and accountability in their own care. The study urges hospitalists and care providers to be mindful of the patient’s entire experience throughout hospital stay. TH

Visit our website for more information on hospitalists and patient communication.

Hospitalists at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor have developed a tool to help facilitate patient communication with physicians and to "actively participate in their treatments," says Aaron Farberg, MD. "Their treatment plans will, in turn, be more effective," Dr. Farberg adds.

Called Dear Doctor (DD) notes, the tool is a pre-formatted notepad placed on a bedside table for hospital patients to consult throughout their stay. Patients can write down questions under three suggested prompts: diagnosis and treatment, tests and procedures, and medications. Such a simple tool is "absent in the inpatient setting, and can have an impact on a patient’s perceived and actual medical care," Dr. Farberg says.

Family members of patients can also benefit from DD notes by voicing their questions or concerns to the physicians. “Often their active participation in the healthcare plan is an essential element in successful treatment,” Dr. Farberg says.

Surveyed patients experienced better communication with hospitalists and had an enhanced experience with their providers and hospital. Patients and their families were happy their questions were answered and not forgotten. They had a sense of control and accountability in their own care. The study urges hospitalists and care providers to be mindful of the patient’s entire experience throughout hospital stay. TH

Visit our website for more information on hospitalists and patient communication.

Matthew Heinz, MD, a hospitalist from Tucson, Ariz., has been appointed director of provider outreach at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a position the agency created specifically to educate the public on health-care policies.

A practicing hospitalist at Tucson Medical Center and a former Arizona state legislator, Dr. Heinz travels to Washington a couple of weekends a month to work directly with healthcare providers, community leaders, and LGBT groups to provide information about implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its coverage options and the enrollment period that started Oct. 1. He then brings questions and concerns back to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius directly.

"Serving as a resource for providers and the community is a great honor," Dr. Heinz says. "It is an exciting time to be part of the Department of Health and Human Services; so much is happening with healthcare due to the ACA."

As a hospitalist for seven years, he says he understands what it means to be uninsured in America and what it can do to families economically. "I see firsthand how profoundly the lack of health insurance affects my patients," he says. "We have to make implementing the Affordable Care Act a priority, as providers, to help these families and individuals get the medical care that they need.

"This kind of change [in policies] hasn't been attempted since Medicare in the 1970s," Dr. Heinz says of the ACA. "It is a unique time and place. I'm pleased and honored that I am able to serve in this way."

Visit our website for more information on how the Affordable Care Act will affect hospitalists.

Matthew Heinz, MD, a hospitalist from Tucson, Ariz., has been appointed director of provider outreach at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a position the agency created specifically to educate the public on health-care policies.

A practicing hospitalist at Tucson Medical Center and a former Arizona state legislator, Dr. Heinz travels to Washington a couple of weekends a month to work directly with healthcare providers, community leaders, and LGBT groups to provide information about implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its coverage options and the enrollment period that started Oct. 1. He then brings questions and concerns back to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius directly.

"Serving as a resource for providers and the community is a great honor," Dr. Heinz says. "It is an exciting time to be part of the Department of Health and Human Services; so much is happening with healthcare due to the ACA."

As a hospitalist for seven years, he says he understands what it means to be uninsured in America and what it can do to families economically. "I see firsthand how profoundly the lack of health insurance affects my patients," he says. "We have to make implementing the Affordable Care Act a priority, as providers, to help these families and individuals get the medical care that they need.

"This kind of change [in policies] hasn't been attempted since Medicare in the 1970s," Dr. Heinz says of the ACA. "It is a unique time and place. I'm pleased and honored that I am able to serve in this way."

Visit our website for more information on how the Affordable Care Act will affect hospitalists.

Matthew Heinz, MD, a hospitalist from Tucson, Ariz., has been appointed director of provider outreach at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a position the agency created specifically to educate the public on health-care policies.

A practicing hospitalist at Tucson Medical Center and a former Arizona state legislator, Dr. Heinz travels to Washington a couple of weekends a month to work directly with healthcare providers, community leaders, and LGBT groups to provide information about implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its coverage options and the enrollment period that started Oct. 1. He then brings questions and concerns back to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius directly.

"Serving as a resource for providers and the community is a great honor," Dr. Heinz says. "It is an exciting time to be part of the Department of Health and Human Services; so much is happening with healthcare due to the ACA."

As a hospitalist for seven years, he says he understands what it means to be uninsured in America and what it can do to families economically. "I see firsthand how profoundly the lack of health insurance affects my patients," he says. "We have to make implementing the Affordable Care Act a priority, as providers, to help these families and individuals get the medical care that they need.

"This kind of change [in policies] hasn't been attempted since Medicare in the 1970s," Dr. Heinz says of the ACA. "It is a unique time and place. I'm pleased and honored that I am able to serve in this way."

Visit our website for more information on how the Affordable Care Act will affect hospitalists.

Matthew Heinz, MD, a hospitalist from Tucson, Ariz., has been appointed director of provider outreach at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a position the agency created specifically to educate the public on health-care policies.

A practicing hospitalist at Tucson Medical Center and a former Arizona state legislator, Dr. Heinz travels to Washington a couple of weekends a month to work directly with healthcare providers, community leaders, and LGBT groups to provide information about implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its coverage options and the enrollment period that started Oct. 1. He then brings questions and concerns back to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius directly.

"Serving as a resource for providers and the community is a great honor," Dr. Heinz says. "It is an exciting time to be part of the Department of Health and Human Services; so much is happening with healthcare due to the ACA."

As a hospitalist for seven years, he says he understands what it means to be uninsured in America and what it can do to families economically. "I see firsthand how profoundly the lack of health insurance affects my patients," he says. "We have to make implementing the Affordable Care Act a priority, as providers, to help these families and individuals get the medical care that they need.

"This kind of change [in policies] hasn't been attempted since Medicare in the 1970s," Dr. Heinz says of the ACA. "It is a unique time and place. I'm pleased and honored that I am able to serve in this way."

Visit our website for more information on how the Affordable Care Act will affect hospitalists.

Matthew Heinz, MD, a hospitalist from Tucson, Ariz., has been appointed director of provider outreach at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a position the agency created specifically to educate the public on health-care policies.

A practicing hospitalist at Tucson Medical Center and a former Arizona state legislator, Dr. Heinz travels to Washington a couple of weekends a month to work directly with healthcare providers, community leaders, and LGBT groups to provide information about implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its coverage options and the enrollment period that started Oct. 1. He then brings questions and concerns back to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius directly.

"Serving as a resource for providers and the community is a great honor," Dr. Heinz says. "It is an exciting time to be part of the Department of Health and Human Services; so much is happening with healthcare due to the ACA."

As a hospitalist for seven years, he says he understands what it means to be uninsured in America and what it can do to families economically. "I see firsthand how profoundly the lack of health insurance affects my patients," he says. "We have to make implementing the Affordable Care Act a priority, as providers, to help these families and individuals get the medical care that they need.

"This kind of change [in policies] hasn't been attempted since Medicare in the 1970s," Dr. Heinz says of the ACA. "It is a unique time and place. I'm pleased and honored that I am able to serve in this way."

Visit our website for more information on how the Affordable Care Act will affect hospitalists.

Matthew Heinz, MD, a hospitalist from Tucson, Ariz., has been appointed director of provider outreach at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a position the agency created specifically to educate the public on health-care policies.

A practicing hospitalist at Tucson Medical Center and a former Arizona state legislator, Dr. Heinz travels to Washington a couple of weekends a month to work directly with healthcare providers, community leaders, and LGBT groups to provide information about implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its coverage options and the enrollment period that started Oct. 1. He then brings questions and concerns back to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius directly.

"Serving as a resource for providers and the community is a great honor," Dr. Heinz says. "It is an exciting time to be part of the Department of Health and Human Services; so much is happening with healthcare due to the ACA."

As a hospitalist for seven years, he says he understands what it means to be uninsured in America and what it can do to families economically. "I see firsthand how profoundly the lack of health insurance affects my patients," he says. "We have to make implementing the Affordable Care Act a priority, as providers, to help these families and individuals get the medical care that they need.

"This kind of change [in policies] hasn't been attempted since Medicare in the 1970s," Dr. Heinz says of the ACA. "It is a unique time and place. I'm pleased and honored that I am able to serve in this way."

Visit our website for more information on how the Affordable Care Act will affect hospitalists.