Effective communication is essential in hospital-based care, with hospitalists playing a pivotal role in ensuring smooth in-patient management and care transitions. Despite its recognized importance, gaps remain in understanding how hospitalists communicate with clinicians, patients, and other stakeholders. This review consolidates existing evidence on hospitalist communication practices, handoff protocols, key challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
Methods
A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS for studies published from 1 January 2014 to 23 December 2024, with additional manual entries from a curated set. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 66 articles were identified. A two-stage screening process (title/abstract and full-text review) resulted in 38 studies selected for data extraction. Study quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) (1); no studies were excluded based on quality.
Results
Three primary communication domains emerged: clinician-to-clinician interactions, communication with patients, and engagement with other stakeholders, including families and interpreters. Standardized handoff tools were associated with improved communication and outcomes. Challenges in hospitalist communication include incomplete information exchange, role ambiguity, and limited trust. Several studies emphasized the potential of digital tools, telehealth, and targeted training to address these issues.
Conclusion
While progress has been made through standardized communication protocols, critical challenges remain in this domain. The paper recommends targeted interventions to address persistent barriers that hinder hospitalist communication, improve patient safety, and ensure smoother transitions and continuity of care within hospital systems.
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