Hospitalist

Hospitalists are physicians who specialize in caring for hospitalized patients. They do not maintain office hours outside of the hospital. Primary care physicians refer patients to a hospitalist when the patient is too ill to be cared for outside the hospital.

During your inpatient stay, you may be seen by a hospitalist. You should schedule an appointment with your regular doctor soon after discharge from the hospital. Upon discharge, your physician is given a summary of your course of treatment while in the hospital.

Hospitalists Provide Many Benefits to You and Your Doctor

Hospitalists keep a close eye on your health.

In case of emergency, your hospitalist is available 24 hours a day. Your hospitalist knows every specialist and department in the hospital and guides your treatment by following up on tests and adjusting treatment regimens in an efficient and timely manner.

Hospitalists answer your family’s questions.

During critical and stressful moments, hospitalists provide answers to your medical questions. Since hospitalists work only in the hospital, they are able to spend more time talking to the patient and the family about your care. They don’t have to get back to their office to see other patients.

Hospitalists help your primary care doctor be more available to you.

For many patients and physicians, working with a hospitalist team is a more efficient process. This enables your primary care physician to be more available to you in the office, and enables the hospitalist to be more available to care for you when you are at your sickest in the hospital.

How does the Hospitalist know about me?

Hospitalists communicate with your primary care physician as often as needed during your hospitalization regarding treatment. Like your physician, the hospitalist will have access to your BHS electronic medical records. The process of entrusting your care to a hospitalist is similar to what your physician does when he or she refers you to a specialist for additional tests or treatment.