A Hospitalist is a physician who specializes in caring for patients in the hospital. Most hospitalists are general internal medicine and family practice physicians. Hospitalists are dedicated inpatient specialists with excellent clinical skills who strive for patient satisfaction.

How will my care be coordinated between the hospitalist and my primary care physician?

A hospitalist physician will contact your primary care physician at the time of your admission to the hospital, as needed during your hospital stay, and again when you are discharged. At the conclusion of your hospitalization, your primary care physician will receive a full report of the details of your hospital stay. If necessary, the hospitalist physician will also arrange follow-ups with specialists and home services or prescribe medications as needed at the time of discharge.

How will the hospitalist know about my medical condition?

The hospitalist will talk to your primary care physician on a frequent basis. At the time of your admission to the hospital, the hospitalist will contact your primary care physician to inform them of your condition and to request your records to provide as much information as possible about your illness. This 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 treatments.

During the course of your hospitalization, the hospitalist and your primary care physician may talk further regarding your treatment. At discharge, the hospitalist will communicate with your primary care physician to discuss your future treatment needs, help arrange follow-up, prescribe necessary medications, and send your hospital records to your primary care physician’s office.