If you’ve ever been hospitalized in recent years, you may have been cared for during your stay by a physician other than your own.

These physicians are called hospitalists and are physicians dedicated to inpatient hospital care. They look after the hospitalized patient from admission to discharge.

By focusing on the care of the hospitalized patient, hospitalists have the expertise to concentrate on the patient’s unique needs during a hospital stay.

Hospitalists dedicate their practices to hospital medicine and are able to monitor the length of stay, as well as address any complications that may arise and act immediately. These physicians typically spend most or all of their workday right in the hospital, so they can be readily available to monitor and meet the special needs of the patient.

In addition, in case of emergency, hospitalists are able to closely monitor and visit the patient more than once per day, if needed.

Hospitalist programs throughout the country are designed to provide patients, physicians and hospitals with quality, efficient medical care.

These programs are primary-care focused, and the hospitalists work closely with the patients’ families and referring physicians.

Great emphasis is placed on continuity of care and communication with all parties concerned. Hospitalists are in constant contact with the patient’s primary care physician.

At the time of admission, the primary physician calls the hospitalist and informs him or her of the patient’s condition and provides the necessary medical history records.

Throughout the hospital stay, there is ongoing dialogue between the patient’s primary care physician and the hospitalist. At discharge, appropriate arrangements are coordinated with the patient, family and primary care physician, making for a smooth transition from the hospital to home.

In addition, the primary care physician is given a discharge plan, medication list and results of outstanding laboratory and procedure results. Once discharged, the patient will continue to be seen by the primary care physician.

By trusting the care of the patient to a hospitalist, the primary care physician has the assurance that the patient is under the constant care of a physician.

This allows the primary care physician to offer uninterrupted office hours because regular visits to the hospital are not needed.

Also, patients and families benefit because the hospitalist is readily available to coordinate all aspects of inpatient care, answer questions as they arise, monitor progress and act immediately on test results.

Diane Galutia is a public affairs associate for St. Joseph Healthcare. For information about the hospitalist program at St. Joseph Hospital, call 262-2215.