Hospitalist firm says it’s on pace for UMC

Friday, March 9, 2007 | 7:01 a.m.

The out-of-state company hired to provide physicians at University Medical Center says it will be able to step in on schedule - in part by hiring doctors from the University of Nevada School of Medicine, whose proposal to do the job had been rejected by the county.

The contract, awarded in December, generated controversy because the company that was chosen to provide doctors to UMC didn't have any local staffing at the time.

But the company, Hospitalists Management Group, is on pace to hire the estimated eight doctors it will take to provide one or two doctors at UMC 24 hours a day, said Dr. Stephen Houff, the group's chief executive.

Hospitalists are internal medicine doctors who augment the existing staff and contracted physicians at UMC, including those who work in the emergency room and other specialized departments.

The hospitalists will admit and examine patients and assist in the emergency room - tasks that currently are met by using on-call doctors when necessary.

Clark County commissioners approved the five-year, $1.79 million annual contract with HMG subsidiary Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Clark County in December on the advice of then-UMC Chief Executive Lacy Thomas.

Thomas was fired Jan. 16 for mishandling hospital finances and is now under criminal investigation based on accusations that he recommended awarding unrelated contracts to his friends in Chicago.

The contract also generated criticism because it cost more than other proposals - including one by the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Despite its cheaper price, the state medical school's proposal was ranked fifth out of eight by a screening committee.

The executive director of a company that submitted a less-expensive proposal to help staff UMC with hospitalists wondered why UMC was essentially hiring doctors whose own contract had been rejected.

"They are hiring the No. 5 bidder to provide their staffing," said Steve Peterson, executive director of IPC Las Vegas. "That doesn't make much sense to me."

But Kathy Silver, UMC's interim chief executive, said Hospitalists Management Group was selected because its business model, technology and tracking systems would ensure better patient care. The Nevada medical school's systems were not as adequate, she said.

Still, she said the hospital is excited the medical school will be part of the program.

"We felt that it was a win for both of us," she said.

But she expressed concern that the program is not ramping up as quickly as she would like.

A meeting with a candidate for the company's on-site medical director was canceled and rescheduled for next week, she said. The process has also been delayed as the company hashes out an agreement with the medical school, she said.

"If we don't have a firm implementation plan by the end of the month, I'll be extremely annoyed," she said.

The hospitalist contract calls for the program to be implemented by early June.

Before the company meets that goal, however, it must exist. Technically, the contract is with Hospitalist Medicine Physicians of Clark County. As of Friday, that company had not been created, according to state and county records.

Houff dismissed that issue as a matter of paperwork.