A hospitalist is a board-certified internist who focuses only on the treatment of hospitalized patients. Hospitalists may visit you and your family several times a day, directing all of your medical care needs while working in close association with your family physician.

If you are admitted to the hospital for medical reasons (not surgery or child birth), and do not have a primary care physician or one who practices at that hospital, you will be assigned a hospitalist who will manage your care for the duration of your stay. In most cases, your family physician will no longer visit you in the hospital but will coordinate with the hospitalist, sharing office notes and all relevant medical information. The hospitalist - whose office is the hospital - reports back to your doctor regularly.

Here are some advantages for patients:

• A hospitalist knows the ins and outs of hospital protocols and how to manage your care in a hospital setting.
• A hospitalist is ALWAYS available to you or your family. Hospitalists work shifts, around the clock, and do not have outside practices.
• The nurses taking care of you have immediate access to your hospitalist 24-7. No waiting for call backs from an out-of-hospital primary physician.
• The hospitalist has access to your lab tests and other reports immediately because he or she is RIGHT THERE in the hospital and can make needed adjustments quickly.

For more information about the benefits of hospitalist-driven care, read our FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page and/or download an informational brochure for patients HERE.