METHODS
We carried out our study on the general medicine
hospitalist services at 2 academic tertiary care centers in Boston, Massachusetts (hospitals A and B). The human research committee for both hospitals reviewed and approved the study design. The hospitals belong to the same integrated care–delivery network and share a common electronic clinical data repository that includes test results, discharge orders and summaries, ambulatory notes, and medication and problem lists. These data are accessible at all inpatient and outpatient sites through the same electronic medical record. In addition, all physicians use the same e-mail system.