Proper boundaries improve comanagement relationships between hospitalists and surgical specialists

A physician is no stranger to the fact that healthcare is a team sport. A single physician cannot be responsible for the entire gamut of patient care—he or she needs a nurse to handle daily care, perhaps a specialist to offer advice for a particularly complex patient, and a cohort of other individuals to ensure that the patient’s outpatient care following a hospitalization is adequate. Despite the fact that multiple people care for each patient, physicians have a lot to lose should a patient experience a poor outcome and later sue. Even physicians who were not listed as the attending physician on a patient’s case can get dragged into a lawsuit. That’s why it is critical for physicians to manage their relationships with all care providers well.

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