Hospital Consult Plan Relieves On-Call Burden for Rheumatologist

Kim Stewart, MD
Summa Physicians Incorporated Rheumatology
Akron, Ohio

Author Colin C. Edgerton, MD, replies: Thank you, Dr. Stewart, for sharing your experience. We commend your efforts, and we find the solution that you negotiated with your hospital employer a wonderful example of physician leadership—doing what is best for the patient while maintaining autonomy of practice.

We share your concern that hospital employers be able to assist physicians by proactively recognizing on-call burdens and offering solutions. Many physicians may feel that it is their implicit duty to accept the status quo and may not realize that better systems may be negotiated.