| It's an emerging trend, and one that many | | | | care physician often has little knowledge of what |
| patients find confusing and uncomfortable: their | | | | the patient experienced in the hospital. Records |
| primary doctor doesn't visit them in the hospital | | | | are frequently slow to follow the patient, so on |
| any more and doesn't manage their hospital | | | | the first follow-up visit the office-based doctor |
| care.Primary care doctors are increasingly turning | | | | may have scant information.Without adequate |
| the care of their hospitalized patients over to | | | | information the PCP frequently makes |
| specialists called "hospitalists."The hospitalist is a | | | | adjustments to treatment plans and medications |
| hospital-based doctor who does not see patients | | | | that are counter to the treatment plans initiated in |
| in an office-based practice. He or she manages | | | | the hospital.How To Work With A HospitalistBe |
| the care of patients only while they are in the | | | | prepared. If your trip to the hospital is |
| hospital, turning them back over to their regular | | | | pre-planned, talk to your primary doctor about |
| physicians when they are discharged. During the | | | | the hospitalists in your chosen hospital. Find out |
| time a patient is in the hospital the hospitalist is | | | | which hospitalist communicates best with your |
| responsible for all decisions about a patient's | | | | doctor, and who your doctor prefers to work |
| care.Advantages of HospitalistsThe hospitalist | | | | with. If possible, ask your doctor to pre-arrange |
| usually knows the hospital, and hospital politics, | | | | that this hospitalist will be in charge of your care |
| very well. This often enables the hospitalist to cut | | | | while you're in the hospital.Arrive Armed: Never |
| through red tape and "make things happen" more | | | | assume that things will go as planned. You may |
| efficiently than office-based physicians.Hospitalists | | | | not feel well, and you will be under stress. The |
| are more readily available to respond to | | | | chosen hospitalist may be on vacation, out ill, or |
| emergencies in the hospital. Nurses and other care | | | | unavailable. Take a synopsis of your medical |
| staff can usually reach a hospitalist more rapidly | | | | history, including the results of all recent tests, |
| than an office-based physician, especially on | | | | with you to the hospital. Whenever possible have |
| evenings and weekends.Continuity of care within | | | | someone stay with you in the hospital until you |
| the hospital is often better. When primary care | | | | have met your doctor and given him or her all |
| physicians manage inpatient hospital care, the | | | | the information you have. Have that person take |
| patient is often actually seen by more doctors, as | | | | notes, including the names of all your hospital |
| doctors in larger practices often take turns seeing | | | | caregivers, their contact information (phone and |
| all of the practice's hospitalized patients.Hospitalists | | | | pager), and the location of their offices in the |
| are usually more accessible to family members. | | | | hospital.Sign a Release: If you can, make sure to |
| Families don't have to try to "catch" the doctor in | | | | sign a release of information form when you are |
| the wee hours of the morning or late in the | | | | admitted. This will give the hospitalist and |
| evening when he or she is making hospital rounds | | | | everyone else on your medical team permission |
| outside of office hours.Disadvantages of Using a | | | | to discuss your care with the person you appoint. |
| HospitalistThe biggest disadvantage to the | | | | Even if you have already given that person your |
| movement toward hospitalists is the loss of | | | | Power of Attorney for Health Care, signing a |
| continuity of care between the primary physician | | | | permission to release information is a good idea. |
| and the hospital. The hospitalist has no previous | | | | You might not be so ill that your Power of |
| knowledge of his new patient. If communication | | | | Attorney for Health Care goes into effect. In that |
| between the primary care physician and the | | | | case, without authority to release information, you |
| hospitalist is poor, it falls to the patient and the | | | | might find the staff is less than willing to share |
| family to fill in the gaps.When a patient is | | | | information with the person staying with you.Molly |
| discharged from the hospital the hospitalist | | | | Shomer helps families who are struggling with |
| relinquishes care back to the PCP. If | | | | caring for aging parents. |
| communication has not been good, the primary | | | | |