Hospital Medicine

Hospital medicine services are provided by a physician called a hospitalist. Hospitalists specialize in treating you in a hospital setting. They are board-certified in family or internal medicine. They receive specialized training to treat your complex medical diagnoses. Hospitalists generally work for a week at a time to offer you continuity of care. One of the main goals of a hospitalist is to provide good communication among the care team, you and your family. Watch a video that explains what a hospitalist is:

Benefits of being treated by a hospitalist
In addition to having specialized training, hospitalists are available to follow up on your tests, procedures and treatments. Hospitalists also are available for discussions with you and your family.

Communication with your hospitalist
Information hospitalists need comes from you, your family and health care providers. Hospitalists may access your medical record from any of our locations and can contact your primary care provider for more information as needed. Hospitalists generally see you each day. If you are a patient in transitional care, you will not see the hospitalist each day, as you a are now progressing in your recovery. You and your family are encouraged to ask questions so you understand your illness and care.

Discharge planning
It is important for you and your family to understand your medical condition and treatment plan. The hospitalist team starts planning for your discharge early in your stay, and you will be included in decisions about your discharge planning.