|
Hospitalist Services at MDH
Effective June 1, 2010, MDH began hospitalist services at MDH.
Below are answers to commonly asked questions about the hospitalist program. You may also download a pdf of the brochure.
Who is cared for by a hospitalist?
How does the hospitalist program work?
How does the hospitalist work with my doctor?
What if I do not have my own doctor?
Fast facts about hospitalists
-
Hospitalists work only in the hospital. They are available for inpatients in Acute Care, ICU, and TCU during the day and are on-call after hours.
-
Hospitalists care for patients from admission to discharge. Primary care physicians who have evaluated a patient in their office and are recommending admission to the hospital will notify the hospitalist of the admission. Based on the condition of the patient and the time of day, the patient will either report to Admitting/Registration or go directly to the nursing unit. If a patient visits the emergency room for evaluation, the ER physician will discuss admission with the hospitalist, and the patient's primary care physician will be notified.
-
There is frequent communication between the hospitalist and the primary care physician during the hospital stay and upon dismissal, the care of the patient will return to the primary care physician.
-
Hospitalists are easily accessible in emergencies and when questions or concerns arise.
-
Hospitalists are available to meet with families as needed.
-
Hospitalists are very familiar with every specialist and department at MDH as well as hospital procedures and processes. This allows them to function efficiently in ordering tests, consulting other specialists, and adjusting treatments which can result in a shortened hospital stay.
-
Inpatients who do not have a primary care physician will be cared for by the hospitalist during the hospital stay. Upon discharge, a local primary care physician will be assigned to provide follow-up care related to the condition for which the patient was hospitalized.
-
Fees associated with hospitalist services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance companies and are comparable to fees that primary care physicians have charged for inpatient care.
-
Hospitalists facilitate better healthcare for the entire community because primary care physicians are able to spend more uninterrupted time caring for office-based patients when they know their hospitalized patients are under expert supervision.
For more information about the hospitalist program, call 309.836.1611.
|
Services, Programs & Classes
