What is a hospitalist?

A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in caring for patients in the hospital and who usually does not have an outpatient medical practice. PrimeDoc^® hospitalists are internal medicine physicians.

When will I see my regular primary care doctor?

Increasingly, primary care physicians are referring their patients to a hospitalist when their patients are sick enough that they can no longer be cared for in the doctor's office. During your hospital stay, you will be seen by PrimeDoc hospitalists. You will see your regular doctor soon after discharge from the hospital.

What are the benefits of having a hospitalist?

• Your PrimeDoc hospitalists will keep a close eye on you. In case of emergency, a PrimeDoc hospitalist is never very far away. That's because they work in the hospital, not in a traditional doctor’s office (outpatient clinic), and will see you more than once a day, if needed. Your hospitalists know every specialist and department in the hospital, and can assist you through a smooth and speedy recovery process by following up on tests and adjusting your treatment regimen throughout the day based on those test results.
• Hospitalists answer your family's questions. PrimeDoc hospitalists are here to provide the answers in person whenever possible. During critical and stressful moments, they provide honest and considerate answers to your questions. Since hospitalists are in the hospital 24 hours a day, they are able to spend more time talking to you and your family about your care. There's no time more important to communicate about your care than when you might be critically ill.
• Hospitalists help your primary care doctor to be more available to you. Because PrimeDoc hospitalists are in the hospital all day, your doctor can be with you in the doctor's office with fewer delays and interruptions. Your primary care doctor will be able to devote more time to keeping you and your family healthy.

For many patients and physicians, working with a hospitalist team is a win-win proposition. Using a hospitalist team 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. With a physician in the hospital at all hours of the day and night, it's easier for you and your family to communicate about your illness.

How does the PrimeDoc hospitalist know about me?

Hospitalists communicate with primary care physicians on a frequent basis. At the time of your admission to the hospital, your primary care physician calls the hospitalist and informs him or her of your condition and sends over records to provide as much information as possible about your illness. The process is similar to what your physician does when he or she refers you to a specialist for another opinion or for additional tests and treatment. During the course of your hospitalization, your PrimeDoc hospitalist and primary care physician may talk further regarding your treatment.

What happens after I leave the hospital?

At discharge your PrimeDoc hospitalist will contact your primary care physician to discuss your further treatment needs, help arrange follow-up, and prescribe the necessary medications. He or she will also send your hospital records to your primary care physician.

Adapted from "What is a hospitalist" patient brochure, Society of Hospital Medicine.