The Hospitalist Advantage

Numerous studies have shown that patients attended by Hospitalists in hospital settings have shorter stays than those who are not. Patients treated by Hospitalists also have lower costs and better medical outcomes.

Why is that? It's because the specialized expertise and attention that Hospitalists provide addresses the physical and emotional needs of patients when they need it most. The goal is not to replace primary care physicians, but to work together for the patient's benefit. Primary care doctors are heavily involved, explaining the patient’s medical history to the Hospitalist and working with a team to plan treatments and tests.

Here's what makes the care Hospitalists provide unique:

Expertise in the hospital setting. As board-certified doctors of internal medicine, Hospitalists are trained to diagnose and treat adults with complex medical problems. They bridge the lines of communication between primary care physicians, nurses, specialists, rehabilitation personnel and follow-up care. Hospitalists at SMDC have real-time phone discussions with primary care and emergency room physicians throughout the region, who may need to transfer patients to St. Mary's Medical Center or SMDC Medical Center.

Coordinated care. Hospitalists work in direct contact with primary care physicians and coordinate care with specialists, creating a team approach and facilitating dialogue between everyone involved in caring for patients throughout their stay and after they are discharged. Coordinating that communication is one of a hospitalist’s most important ways of ensuring safety.

Efficient and personalized care. Because our physicians are hospital based and on site 24 hours a day, they are truly focused on managing the care of hospitalized patients. Our well-organized system ensures that each patient is seen as often as is medically necessary every day. And by focusing on the care of hospitalized patients, a Hospitalist can gain a great deal of experience in the unique aspects of a patient’s needs during a hospital stay.

Availability to patients and families. Since Hospitalists typically spend most or all of their work day in the hospital, they are more readily available than a doctor who spends much of the day outside the hospital in an office or clinic setting. That means faster responses to emergencies and more time spent caring for patients and coordinating their care.

Our Hospitalists are available to talk to patients and their families to help understand each diagnosis, test or care plan. In addition, Hospitalists can provide more personal care for patients who don't have a primary physician, have no insurance, or are from out of town.

Ease of information exchange. Our Hospitalists use multiple methods of communicating information related to patient care among medical providers. SMDC's medical records system, Epic, allows them to immediately access test results, physician notes and patients’ medical histories. They also use an internal Web-based site to exchange ideas and insight regarding a patient’s condition with other Hospitalists on our team.