NEWS

Baystate Researchers Publish Study of Hospitalists' Care in New England Journal of Medicine

Findings Bolster Baystate's Own Hospitalist Programs in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

In the December 20 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Baystate Medical Center investigators Peter K. Lindenauer MD, Michael B. Rothberg MD, MPH, and Penelope S. Pekow PhD, reported on the outcomes of patients who are provided care under the hospitalist model (Read the abstract of their article, "Outcomes of care by hospitalists, general internists, and family physicians").

The Study's Implications Could Impact the Future Role of Hospitalists

This is the largest, most definitive study to date on the topic of hospitalists. The importance of this study is highlighted by an accompanying editorial by Laurence F. McMahon, Jr., MD, Chief Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, who argues that the era of questioning the benefits of hospitalists is now over and that it is time to start focusing on the challenges and opportunities for this new specialty. These include:

• payment reform for both hospital medicine and primary care to deal with current and impending physician shortages

• the creation of new models of inpatient care to improve quality and outcomes

• the development of hospitalist researchers in order to put them on equal footing with other medical specialists.

Loan Repayment Rule for Residents Will Not Be Eliminated During Transition to New System

Move Avoids Possible Economic Hardship for New Residents

The US Department of Education announced in November that it will preserve the current definition of the economic hardship deferment debt-to-income ratio pathway, which allows medical residents to qualify for economic hardship deferment and postpone payment of their educational loans for up to 3 years. The ruling avoids a 21-month gap in the transition that could create economic hardship for new residents.

The new regulations include a change in another provision of the economic hardship deferment that will increase the debt-to-income ratio by 50 percent, making more residents eligible for the deferment. Previously, a resident's monthly income minus monthly loan payments could not exceed 220 percent of the federal poverty line for a family of two. Under the new regulations, a resident's monthly income minus monthly loan payments can reach up to 330 percent of the federal poverty line for the borrower's family size.

Read the full article in the print edition of the December 2007 AAMC Reporter on the BMC intranet.

Wireless Internet Now Available in Medical Student Houses

Enhancment Addresses #1 Housing Issue Raised by Students

Three of the 4 medical student houses have had wireless internet services installed.

Students staying in the houses at 259 Marvin, 45 Pratt and 49 Pratt are now able to configure their laptops to access the internet from the comfort of their rooms. Students in 90-92 Chapin will soon have access as well.

Installation of internet service has been a goal of the Division of Academic Affairs. Lack of internet access was the number one complaint about the accommodations provided to students. Thanks to Network Services for their efforts in getting this accomplished.