9 Hospitalists Leave Pennsylvania's PinnacleHealth Over New Administrative Policy

Molly Gamble (Twitter) -
Nine hospitalists submitted their resignations to Harrisburg, Pa.-based PinnacleHealth System last week, citing administrative interference in medical decisions as the reason for their departure, according to a Patriot-News report.

The hospitalists were led by Michael Hildren, MD, who said the decision was made after hospital administration pressured the physicians to quickly admit or discharge patients in an effort to reduce wait times in the emergency department.

Pinnacle officials, however, say they don't know the precise reasons the physicians resigned, according to the report. One official said the hospital is pursuing a goal to rank in the top 25 percent in the nation for quality and patient satisfaction, which includes an initiative to reduce wait times to a maximum of 15 minutes.

The Pinnacle official said the new initiative may have influenced the hospitalists' resignation, as it requires quick decision-making and a new level of cooperation between the medical staff, which may have left the physicians dissatisfied.

Pinnacle has said the resignations will not affect patient care or staffing levels, according to the report.

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