By Katarina A. Lewczyk  | Date published: December 4, 2024

Hospital Medicine APPs Support Hospital for Behavioral Medicine

In response to the Hospital for Behavioral Medicine’s challenges securing medicine providers to manage their inpatient census, APPs from the Division of Hospital Medicine, including Caitlin Alves, PA-C, John Asare, PA-C, Nina Howe, ACNP-BC, Kathy Krafsig, ACNP-BC, Natalie Parslow, PA-C, Patricia Noe, PA-C, Cassie Shilo, AGACNP-BC, and Crystal Queally, ACNP-BC, clinical coordinator for the Hospital Medicine service line, have stepped in to improve the facility's workflow. Since late September, the team of eight APPs have been providing crucial medical support for the adult population at the Hospital for Behavioral Medicine, a 120-bed facility.

The team has been performing daily admissions, medicine consults, managing follow-up evaluations, and responding to patient medical emergencies. Currently, the team staffs the Hospital for Behavioral Medicine seven days a week, occasionally collaborating with the Division of Hospital Medicine leadership for medical advice and management support.  

“It was a bit of a rocky start, but the collaboration has been very good overall. Now that we have been there for a couple of months, we are seeing things change for the better, which has been rewarding,” said Crystal Queally, ACNP-BC. “Specifically, Nina and Kathy were the first two providers rotating there during the first two weeks we started and were instrumental in formulating and improving workflows. The relationships that we are forming with the NPs, frontline staff and senior leadership have been very positive and welcoming.” 

The team will continue supporting patient initiatives at the Hospital for Behavioral Medicine in the new year.