Baptist Medical Group Hospitalists
Most of us don't like staying in hospitals. If we can avoid it, we will. But if getting better requires a hospital stay, we do it, no matter how intimidating it may seem. Luckily, if you have to stay in a hospital, you can feel confident knowing there is always a doctor nearby.
Medical providers who work in hospital settings and provide patient care are called hospitalists. The hospitalist specialty is unique because these professionals focus solely on providing medical care to patients staying in hospitals by taking on the role of primary care provider during the patient's stay. There are hospitalists on site every day, 24 hours a day.
What Do Baptist Medical Group Hospitalists Do?
Primary care physicians (PCPs) often refer patients to hospitalists for treatment during hospitalization. Hospitalists are often responsible for managing various consultations with specialists concerning patient treatment, ordering tests and procedures for patients, and directly providing care to the patient.
Hospitalists may also consult on or treat patients who have no primary care provider, as well as patients referred by surgeons and medical subspecialists during hospitalization. After discharge from the hospital, patients return to the care of the primary care provider.
Types of Conditions Treated
When a hospitalist provides care to patients staying in the hospital, they may be diagnosing and treating health problems in the following areas:
- Heart problems
- Lung and airway problems
- Diabetes
- Stomach and intestinal problems
- Infectious diseases
- Cancer
- Kidney problems
- Brain and nervous system problems
- Bladder and urinary tract problems
- Medical issues in surgical patients
- And more