LAKEPORT, Calif. – Sutter Lakeside Hospital is proud to partner with Surgical Affiliates Management Group (SAMG) to bring the highest level of orthopedic care to Lake County residents.

The hospitalist group formed in 1996 and has since produced years of outstanding results, such as improving patient outcomes, reducing unnecessary readmissions and cutting costs.

Leon Owens, M.D., president and CEO of SAMG, manages the group.

Dr. Owens developed the model and has had significant experience with success at other facilities. He uses a structured approach for consistency and quality to provide optimal service.

“Partnership with the Surgical Affiliates Management Group means more accessible care for our community,” said Siri Nelson, chief administrative officer, Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “By maximizing efficiency, we’re able to better deliver on our promise to enhance the well-being of the people we serve. Top quality care is available 24/7 for everything from emergent needs such as fractures to planned procedures.”

Research supports the use of hospitalist groups to improve quality of care, availability and patient satisfaction.

Before the introduction of the hospitalist model, primary care physicians would often perform inpatient procedures that interrupted routine care, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Physicians often treated the same medical problems differently, some more efficiently than others. The hospitalist model provided solutions by offering a more attractive work-life balance for physicians, more efficient private practices and higher patient satisfaction.

“We’ve had great success with hospitalists in the past,” said Nelson. “The groups we attract bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience, and our patients reap the benefit.”

For more information about Sutter Lakeside Hospital, visit www.sutterlakeside.org or call 707-262-5085 to schedule a tour.