Hospitalists
When patients are admitted to a hospital for surgery or medical treatment, their day-to-day care may be managed by a team of hospitalists, who are experts in providing specialized, coordinated care for inpatients (patients who require a hospital stay).
What Hospitalists Do
Hospitalists are board-certified physicians who focus on the care of certain hospitalized patients. Hospitalists may:
- Review a patient's medical records and discuss a treatment plan with their primary care and specialist physicians
- Meet with patients to follow up on previous test results and discuss upcoming tests
- Arrange for specialty consultations and adjust a patient's treatment plan based on new findings
- Keep all of a patient's treating physicians fully up to speed on their medical care
Because hospitalist team members are hospital-based, they may be able to respond quickly to changes in a patient's condition.
How Hospitalists Can Help You
Hospitalists can be an important resource for patients and their families. They may be available to:
- Answer questions about a patient's diagnosis and treatment plan
- Review available treatment options and recommend participation in appropriate clinical trials
- Analyze the pace of recovery and discuss plans for discharge
- Ensure a patient's smooth transition from the hospital to home or follow-up care
By coordinating care with all of a patient's treating physicians, and by working closely with patents and their families, hospitalists work hard to make sure patients receive the best care possible during a hospital stay.