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Hospitalists
Hospitalists are doctors who specialize in the care of patients.
Hospitalists FAQs
Your primary-care physician may ask that a hospitalist be in charge of your care while you are in the hospital. Hospitalists are doctors who specialize in the care of patients while in the hospital. Most often, hospitalists are general internal-medicine physicians or family doctors and frequently provide oversight to nurse practitioners and physicians in training. Hospitalists work closely with your personal doctor to coordinate your care and keep your personal doctor fully informed about your progress during your hospital stay.
A hospitalist will see you every day to monitor your treatment while you are in the hospital. This doctor is readily available to answer questions and to discuss your care with you and your family.
If you are in the hospital for several days or longer, you may see more than one hospitalist. Each hospitalist that you meet will have reviewed your medical chart and discussed your care with the physician for whom he or she is covering so that your care plan proceeds smoothly. Some hospitalists are employed by ChristianaCare, others are affiliated with a private practice.
While you are in the hospital, the hospitalist cares for you and performs or coordinates other exams, tests and treatments. Your hospitalist will see you every day to direct your treatment while you are in the hospital and is available to answer questions and discuss your care with you and your family. Both when you are admitted, and then again when you leave the hospital, the hospitalist will send a detailed report of test results and treatment plans to your primary care physician so that he or she is fully aware of the care you received.
As you prepare to leave the hospital, the hospitalist will give you any instructions about home care and will prescribe any medications you may need, and then will return you to the care of your primary-care physician. In fact, your hospitalist will encourage you to call and schedule a follow-up appointment with your primary-care physician shortly after you get home.
While you won’t be scheduled to see the hospitalist again after you leave the hospital, you are welcome to call him or her if you have questions specific to your hospital stay.
Unlike your primary-care physician, whose busy office schedule makes hospital visits fall often at inconvenient times, such as early in the morning or late in the evening, hospitalists are at the hospital throughout the day and are readily available to oversee your care throughout your stay. Hospitalists are able to immediately respond to any change in your condition. They are also available to answer questions and discuss issues with you and your designated family members.
By requesting the assistance of a hospitalist, your doctor is helping to ensure that you have a physician who is readily available to oversee your care while you are in the hospital. You will appreciate this partnership when you leave the hospital, as well, because your primary-care physician will have more time to dedicate to patients in the office.
In some cases, consultations with other physicians are necessary, and your hospitalist will arrange for these. It’s important that you inform your hospitalist if you are or have been under the care of any other doctor in addition to your primary-care physician so that all available medical information can be reviewed.
An important benefit of the hospitalist service is increased availability. Your hospitalist is on-site at the hospital throughout the day and is available to explain and respond in person to you and your designated family members. For non-emergency questions, the best time for you or your family to contact a hospitalist is between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. But during critical and stressful moments, a hospitalist is available at any hour to provide timely, honest and considerate answers to your questions.
It is best to appoint one member of your family to be a spokesperson. This helps the hospitalist know who is authorized to receive information about you and avoids the possibility of several family members calling the doctor with the same question.
Yes. Pediatric hospitalists care for children in the hospital.
Information on Hospitalists Partners
How to Contact ChristianaCare Hospitalist Partners
For Non-Clinical (Non-Urgent) Matters:
Information on Pediatric Hospitalists
Christiana Hospital is the first hospital in Delaware with pediatric hospitalists on-site 24 hours a day to care for your child.
Pediatric hospitalists are board-certified pediatricians who work only in the hospital. When your child is admitted to our Pediatric Inpatient Unit, pediatric hospitalists oversee medical treatment during the entire stay. This includes examining your child, ordering tests and medication and answering your questions. They also ensure that your child’s hospital care is seamless, from admission until discharge, by staying in close contact with your pediatrician or primary-care physician. This arrangement helps to ensure that your child gets excellent care both in the hospital and in the doctor’s office.
Newborns and children who need immediate medical attention might see pediatric hospitalists who provide consultations in Christiana Hospital’s Emergency Department.
In our maternity center, pediatric hospitalists examine and treat newborns. They fill in when parents have not selected a pediatrician, or when the child’s pediatrician does not practice at our hospital. Hospitalists also are present during high-risk deliveries and help care for newborns immediately after birth.
All the information you need, from your hospital stay; to preparing for surgery; all the way through to your discharge.
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