Hospitalist Services

Hospitalist programs are relatively new to the health care industry, but are being very well received simply because the patient has immediate and around the clock access to a physician specialist during their hospital stay. The attending hospitalist will share information about the patient’s hospital care with the primary care physician to ensure a smooth transition in care during the hospital stay and upon discharge.

According to the Society of Hospital Medicine, there are currently 8,000 hospitalists nationwide and 1,200 U.S. hospitalist programs. That number is likely to quadruple in the next decade, due in large part to the acceptance of hospitalist care by primary care physicians as well as hospital inpatients.

There are currently eight hospitalists on the medical staff at Lakeland. Hospitalist programs improve the patients quality of care by allowing them around the clock access to a physician. Upon admission to the hospital, the patient’s primary care physician will contact the hospitalist to discuss the patient’s care. Once the patient is admitted, the hospitalist remains in frequent contact with the patient’s primary care physician. They work together to ensure that the patient is given the best possible care.