What’s a Hospitalist?

Patients staying in the Acute Care or Intensive Care Unit at Valley View each have a specialized primary healthcare provider called a Hospitalist.  A Hospitalist is a licensed physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant who treats an array of conditions, illnesses and injuries. They’re the men and women who work closely with other providers, consultants and specialists in the hospital to provide comprehensive, big-picture, patient-centered care for adult patients aged 18 and up. Hospitalists’ focus is on internal medicine.

Hospitalist History

The discipline is somewhat new. In 1996, a few hospitals determined that a primary care physician who served as a generalist and a primary point of contact would be hugely beneficial. Complex hospital patient cases needed dedicated physicians on site, versus off-site clinicians managing ambulatory care and other clinical duties.

Hospitalists filled this gap in the medical workforce and this specialized field of medicine was born. The Hospitalist model has shown value in improving healthcare delivery efficiency, patient outcomes and length of patient stays.

Patient Benefits with Valley View Hospitalists

Our Hospitalists, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, are trained in adult internal medicine. They manage all medications and the intricate system of inpatient tests and treatments. They spend one-on-one time with patients and their families.

Valley View patients can expect continuity of care with a seamless transfer of records from the emergency room, admitting healthcare provider or local primary care provider to the hospital computer health record system.

The Hospitalist and Valley View team manage all inpatient acute health issues. At discharge, records and care instructions are handed off to the patient’s primary care provider. For those without a primary care provider, the Hospitalists find and recommend one.

 How Do I Identify a Valley View Hospitalist?

The badge they wear around their neck will have their name, licensure and credentials. It will also say “Hospitalist”. Know that you’re in excellent hands with any of these members of our Hospitalist team: