Patricia Litkowski, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and the Medical Director of Patient Experience at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Additionally, she holds the position of Director of Hospitalist Services for the Inpatient Medical Oncology department. Since Dr. Litkowski started with the Division of Hospital Medicine, she has made an incredible impact on its faculty and patients, not just within the division, but interdepartmentally.
With interests in the care of hospitalized patients with cancer, Patricia serves as co-chair of the Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant Committee, where she has started several initiatives that have transformed care on these floors. Dr. Litkowski is on several other committees as well, including Patient Care Operations, Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, and Recruitment.
In 2024, Dr. Litkowski was selected as a recipient of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Medical Staff Association Career Award. Only six physicians were chosen by the Medical Staff Association from a highly competitive field of 27 nominees. This award aims to honor physicians who are in their first 10 years after training, who have done superlative work in patient care or teaching. Its recipients show exceptional promise in leading the next generation of physicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. They display strong mentorship to others, exceptional interpersonal skills with both their colleagues and their patients, and excellent clinical skills.
Patricia is the kind of hospitalist you can’t help but look up to. She is an outstanding clinician as well as an amazing leader in the division. Her initiatives, especially in the Oncology and BMT committee, make the group feel seen and supported. She works tirelessly to see to it that the goals of the group are achieved, and she stands firm in what she believes in beneficial both for patient care and hospitalists’ wellness. She truly embodies the qualities of an ideal physician leader in the division.”
Patricia’s colleagues have taken notice of her amazing work as well. When asked to submit anonymous feedback, one coworker said, “Patricia is the kind of hospitalist you can’t help but look up to. She is an outstanding clinician as well as an amazing leader in the division. Her initiatives, especially in the Oncology and BMT committee, make the group feel seen and supported. She works tirelessly to see to it that the goals of the group are achieved, and she stands firm in what she believes in beneficial both for patient care and hospitalists’ wellness. She truly embodies the qualities of an ideal physician leader in the division.”
Another colleague shared, “Patricia has always been responsive to the needs of nursing staff and the hospitalists on 11800 and 12800. She addresses everyone’s concerns through active listening, challenging assumptions, and designing interventions to test people’s thoughts. We all know how much better oncology is, and how much she is directly involved in improving relationships.”
Dr. Litkowski will be presented with her award at the Medical Staff Associations Semi-Annual dinner on April 10, 2025, at the Eric P Newman Educational Center. We are looking forward to celebrating her, as well as the other awardees.