HOSPITALISTS:
A GROWING TREND IN HEALTHCARE
If youwere admitted to a hospital recently, chances
are youwere not seen by your primary care physician
but by a hospitalist. Following a growing trend in
healthcare, Infirmary Health relies on hospitalists for
inpatient care throughout its hospitals.
HOSPITAL CARE
A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in the care of
patients when they are hospitalized. Most are board certified
internists or family medicine physicians who undergo the
same education and training as other physicians. The only
difference is that hospitalists do not practice in a traditional
o¬ce setting but focus solely on the treatment of hospitalized
patients.
“There are many advantages of our hospitalist program,”
says Fulton DeFour, M.D., hospitalist at Thomas Hospital.
“We are on-site and available most of the day in the hospital to
meet with family members, follow up on tests, answer nurses’
questions and deal with problems that may arise.”
Hospitalists also serve as communication channels between
the primary care physician and the dierent specialists caring
for a patient. The primary care physician provides information
about the patient’s health history to the hospitalist so they
can discuss significant findings or events. In return, the
hospitalist prepares a detailed report and sends it directly to the
primary care physician.
FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT
As they spend most of their time in the hospital, hospitalists
can track test results and order necessary follow-up tests promptly.
They may also be more familiar with the hospital’s policies and
activities to expedite the patient’s treatment and care.
“Ultimately, the primary care physician asks the hospitalist
to be in charge of patient care throughout hospitalization,”
Dr. DeFour explains. “When patients are discharged, they
return to the care of their primary care physicians.”
For a list of Infirmary Health hospitalists, visit
infirmaryhealth.org and click on “Find a Physician.”
HOSPITALISTS:
A GROWING TREND IN HEALTHCARE
Hospitalists also serve as communication channels between
the primary care physician and the dierent specialists caring
for a patient. The primary care physician provides information
about the patient’s health history to the hospitalist so they
can discuss significant findings or events. In return, the
hospitalist prepares a detailed report and sends it directly to the
FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT
As they spend most of their time in the hospital, hospitalists
can track test results and order necessary follow-up tests promptly.
They may also be more familiar with the hospital’s policies and
activities to expedite the patient’s treatment and care.
can track test results and order necessary follow-up tests promptly.
They may also be more familiar with the hospital’s policies and
activities to expedite the patient’s treatment and care.
“Ultimately, the primary care physician asks the hospitalist
to be in charge of patient care throughout hospitalization,”
Dr. DeFour explains. “When patients are discharged, they
return to the care of their primary care physicians.”
For a list of Infirmary Health hospitalists, visit
infirmaryhealth.org and click on “Find a Physician.”
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INFIRMARY HEALTH
HOSPITAL MEDICINE
HOSPITAL MEDICINE