Hospitalists in Grant County
If you have or someone you know has recently been admitted to a hospital, chances are that they were not seen by their primary care physician in the hospital. As a result, many patients ask questions such as:
- Where is my doctor?
- Why isn't my doctor here to oversee my healthcare while I'm in the hospital?
- How does my primary care physician know that I am in the hospital?
- Is my own doctor going to be updated about my care?
The reason is a relatively new trend in the care of hospitalized patients. Hospitalist is the term used for doctors who are specialized in the care of patients in the hospital.
There are many advantages of hospitalists in the care of hospitalized patients. One advantage is that hospitalists have more expertise in caring for complicated hospitalized patients on a daily basis. They are also more available most of the day in the hospital to meet with family members, able to follow up on tests, answer nurses questions, and simply to deal with problems that may arise. In many instances, hospitalists may see a patient more than once a day to assure that care is going according to plan, and to explain test findings to patients and family members.
Hospitalists also coordinate the care of patients in the hospital and are "captain of the ship." They are the physicians that organize the communication between different doctors caring for a patient, and serve as the point of contact for other doctors and nurses for questions, updates, and delineating a comprehensive plan of care. They are also the main physician for family members to contact for updates on a loved one.
Similarly, because hospitalists are in the hospital most of the time, they are able to track test results and order necessary follow up tests promptly. This is in contrast to the traditional setting where your primary doctor may come to the hospital the next day to follow up the results and take the next necessary step at that time.
If you or someone you know are admitted to the hospital, rest assured that the hospitalist doctor rendering the care has the qualification to provide you optimal care during your hospital stay.