BOSTON, MA — If you’re in the hospital, you may find yourself under the care of a hospitalist: a physician who manages your care in the hospital, then transfers responsibility back to your regular doctor when you’re discharged. Although some clinicians worry that this system may disrupt the traditional doctor-patient relationship, many agree that hospitalists can better attend to the needs of hospitalized patients and more effectively navigate the increasingly complex hospital system. However, close communication between the hospitalist and your regular doctor is crucial, reports the December 2006 issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.
The term “hospitalist” was introduced 10 years ago to describe “a new breed of physicians” that provide care only in the hospital setting. Now, it’s the fastest growing medical specialty in the United States. Hospitalists complete medical school and postgraduate training in internal medicine, family practice, or pediatrics.
While a hospitalist is likely to provide up-to-date and efficient treatment, ensuring communication and continuity of care takes extra effort—by everyone. Some things you can do:
- Keep your own doctor’s contact information with you, so you or your hospitalist can call with updates.
- While in the hospital, keep a record of major procedures, surgeries, complications, and medication reactions.
- At discharge, get a list of all your medications and a discharge summary to give to your regular doctor.
- Call your doctor’s office after a hospital stay to update your list of medications and to ask for a follow-up appointment.
The impact on the quality of care is not easy to determine, notes Harvard Women’s Health Watch. There’s no evidence so far that quality of care has suffered, but larger-scale and longer-term studies are needed to weigh the impact on patient care and the patient-doctor relationship.
Also in this issue:
- Abdominal fat
- Freud’s psychoanalysis legacy
- By the way, doctor: What can I take for osteoporosis besides Fosamax?
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