SPECIAL EDITION: FROM THE CMO

HOSPITAL MEDICINE: THE NEW POWER CENTER OF INPATIENT CARE | Issue #24

Over the past two decades, Hospital Medicine has gone from a “workaround” to one of the most strategically vital roles in modern healthcare.

Once viewed as a temporary fix for overstretched primary care, Hospitalists are now the most in-demand clinicians in the country, and for good reason. They are the engine of inpatient care, balancing clinical complexity, operational pressure, and team communication minute by minute, shift by shift.

I’ve had the privilege of watching that transformation from the inside.

Over 16 years in academic Hospital Medicine, I built programs, led teams, and cared for patients in some of the most dynamic hospital settings in the country. I developed and led an Acute Care Division for a multi-hospital community system, then helped turn around a public health district in Washington State as its Chief Medical Officer. Today, I serve as Chief Medical Officer of Core Clinical Partners, where our mission is rooted in partnership, performance, and clinician-led care.

This year, I was honored to receive the Master in Hospital Medicine designation from the Society of Hospital Medicine, a milestone that prompted reflection on how far the field has come, and where we go next.

From Coverage to Critical Infrastructure

When I started my career at the bedside, before I even knew the term “Hospitalist,” the idea of a physician without an outpatient panel still raised eyebrows. But over time, Hospitalists proved again and again that they could:

• Improve patient flow and reduce LOS
• Strengthen communication across fractured care teams
• Lead change initiatives that improve quality and safety

Today’s Hospitalist must be more than clinically sound; they must be operationally savvy, tech-aware, and strategically aligned with hospital goals.

At their best, Hospitalists are leaders. And when health systems empower them, they don’t just participate in transformation, they drive it.

What We’re Seeing Now: The Virtual Evolution

The next chapter in Hospital Medicine is being written right now and much of it is virtual.

What began during the pandemic has matured into an efficient, scalable model for access and quality. We’re helping hospitals use technology to improve staffing, extend reach, and drive better outcomes.

• TeleHospitalist programs provide overnight coverage and virtual rounding
• Remote supervision allows APPs to deliver care with centralized physician oversight
• Virtual discharge visits help ease transitions and reduce readmissions
• Wearables and AI tools offer early warning signs and post-discharge monitoring

At Core, these aren’t pilot programs. They’re in place, running, and delivering results.

Looking Ahead: What Hospital Leaders Should Do Now

Innovation is here—but human connection remains central. As we look ahead, I encourage health system leaders to:

1. Bring Hospitalists into strategy. Involve them in decisions on throughput, tech adoption, and staffing redesign.
2. Invest in interdisciplinary development. Communication, systems thinking, and leadership are core skills, not extras.
3. Let tech do what it does best. Free up Hospitalists to do what they do best: listen, lead, and care.

At Core, we’re built for this new era:

• Local operational leadership working side by side with clinical teams
• Collaborative approach fueled by curiosity and creativity, flexing to design solutions unique to each partner hospital
• Customized strategies driven by flexibility, performance data, and local context
• A clinician-first culture grounded in communication, growth, and sustainable wellness

Hospitalists are more than essential. They’re transformative. And the future of Hospital Medicine will be defined by how we support, structure, and empower them.

Let’s shape that future, together.