Dr. Jerome Kessler, of Sidney MT, has recently passed the “Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine” certification exam. This completes a three year process. The program and exam are sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine. 

Physicians who specialize in this area are referred to as “hospitalists,” which is a term that was coined in 1996. The push to have additional training in this area is based on several factors: medical science has become more complex; hospital patients are a lot sicker than they used to be; and many hospital illnesses involve more than one body system. Hospitalists treat and coordinate care for a wide variety of heart, lung, kidney, nervous system, metabolic issues, perioperative medical care, and infection problems. 

The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) addresses quality of care issues. Recent studies show a 21% drop in hospital complications and a 15% drop in hospital mortality during the same time period that hospital medicine guidelines have been implemented. Hospital Medicine certification requires that the candidate  complete over 100 maintenance of certification points in a 3-year time period. An applicant must also provide documentation that he has over 3000 hospital care encounters in a 3-year period, provide hospital letters of support (from the CEO and Chief of Staff), hold a valid state medical license, be a member of a hospital staff, and pass the 10 hour national board exam.

Dr. Kessler is now certified in four areas: internal medicine, hospital medicine, geriatrics, and family medicine. Kessler has now taken and successfully passed 14 different national board certification and re-certification exams, with four of these completed within the past 4 years. 

Dr. Kessler’s says: “I love the art and science of medicine. Keeping up to date helps me provide the best possible care for patients. Training and certification in these medical areas is especially important when you practice in a smaller community.”

Dr. Kessler rotates hospital coverage at Sidney Health Center with Dr. Karanjai and other providers. He also has an office practice in Suite #110 at 406-488-2550.