Equitable allocation of resources

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 30 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1553-5592
• DOI: 10.1002/jhm.46

✦ Synopsis

Health care expenditures in the United States continue to rise, reaching over $1.4 trillion in 2001 (14% of the gross domestic product), with hospital spending accounting for the largest portion. Hospitals are under constant pressure to provide more efficient care with limited resources. As hospitalists provide cost-effective inpatient care, they increasingly act as coordinators of care and resources in the hospital setting. Among the factors that make patients vulnerable to inequitable health care are race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. While disparity in care exists in United States hospitals, hospitalists are positioned to identify such disparities, optimize care for all patients, and advocate for equitable and cost-effective allocation of hospital resources.