Hospital Medicine

The Hospitalist Service at CHI Health is designed to provide you, the hospitalized patient and your family, increased physician attention and accessibility. The hospitalist team closely monitors the delivery of your care from admission to discharge and is available throughout the day to answer your questions and guide your treatment.

What is a hospitalist?

A hospitalist is a highly qualified physician who specializes in the care of hospitalized patients. They are dedicated solely to the delivery of excellent, efficient and timely treatment to hospitalized patients.

How does the Hospitalist Service work?

Once you are admitted, the hospitalist will begin to actively oversee all of your diagnostic testing, your treatments, and your medical care. You will be seen by the hospitalist as often as your medical condition requires. You and your family will be able to ask questions and discuss any concerns you may have about your condition. The hospitalist will be in the hospital to monitor your care every day and be available to you and your family members.

How will I benefit from the Hospitalist Service?

Have you or a family member ever asked: “Why is it that the doctor is never around when I need to ask a question?” Or have you ever wondered: “So just what is wrong with me?” One of the greatest benefits of the Hospitalist Service is ease of physician accessibility and communication.

Moreover, you will receive individualized care, 24-hours a day from a highly qualified specialist in hospital-based medicine. You will be able to see the physician as often as needed and the hospitalist team will continually monitor your progress.

In addition, if several physicians are involved in your care and treatment, the hospitalist will coordinate your care and keep you informed of your progress.

How does my hospitalist work with my Primary Care Physician?

Your primary care physician has chosen the CHI Health Hospitalist Service to care for you while in the hospital. The hospitalist will communicate with your primary care physician during the duration of your hospitalization. Once discharged from the hospital, your physician will resume your care.

What will occur when I am discharged?

A member of the hospitalist team will contact your primary care physician to inform him/her of your discharge and to provide a complete medical report, including prescribed medications and recommendations for continued outpatient care.

If you don’t have a primary care physician, the hospitalist will arrange follow-up care for you. The hospitalist team will advise this physician of the care and treatment that you received while you were in the hospital.