Michael Pistoria, D.O., Medical Director, Hospitalist Services

“We could not have built a successful hospitalist program without Lehigh Valley Health Network's easy patient transfer and advanced bed management system.”

When Michael Pistoria, D.O., completed his internal medicine residency at Lehigh Valley Health Network, he had the opportunity to join the medical staff as a new type of specialist called a hospitalist -- a physician that is hospital-based only and does not see patients outside the hospital.

For Pistoria, it was a perfect fit for his medical interests. "I really enjoy the hospital setting where I can work with higher acuity patients and take the time I need with them and their families."

With national studies showing that hospitalists helped decrease a patient's length of stay and cost per case, the concept grew. In 2003, Lehigh Valley Health Network launched Lehigh Valley Hospitalist Services with six hospitalists working rotating 24-hour shifts at its Bethlehem campus. In 2004, it expanded to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest with another six hospitalists. It continues to expand.

"Referring physicians who try the service see its value," Pistoria says. "We become their eyes and ears when their patients are in the hospital, so they have fewer interruptions and more time to see in-office patients. There's not only data showing our presence can reduce patient mortality, but it improves patient satisfaction because we're here all the time."

Part of the service's success is due to easy patient transfer and tracking, he says, made possible by the hospital's wireless network and advanced bed management system. "The technology makes its run smoothly," he says. "We don't have to scramble when we want to admit or transfer a patient. All the information is at our fingertips."

Hospital-Based Doctors Learn how Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network based physicians, called hospitalists, help you get the best possible care while you’re in the hospital. More >>

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