Hospitalists
Hospitalists are physicians who specialize in Internal Medicine and are based in the hospital, taking care of patients 24 hours a day. Our team is dedicated to providing you with quality compassionate health care during your stay at Avera McKennan.
About Hospitalists
Additional Information About Our Hospitalists
Because hospitalists are on-site, we are able to react quickly when your condition changes and make needed adjustments to your plan of care specific to your personal healthcare needs.
Hospitalists assist you through a smooth and speedy recovery process by following up on tests and adjusting your treatment plan throughout your stay based on those test results.
Our goals are to coordinate with your primary care doctor while you are hospitalized at Avera McKennan, return care to him or her immediately upon your discharge from the hospital, and provide him or her with needed information about your hospital stay and your current health condition.
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Hospitalists
Why are the Hospitalists seeing me?
We are seeing you because either your primary care physician has asked us to follow you during your hospitalization, your specialist has asked us to follow your personal health care needs outside the realm of their specialty care, or you may not have a primary care physician and we are acting as your primary physician while you are hospitalized.
What do I do when I am discharged?
You will be given personal discharge instructions upon your discharge from the hospital. Hospitalists will communicate pertinent information regarding your stay and changes in your health care needs to your primary care physician. If you do not have a primary care physician we will be happy to provide you with a referral or a suggestion.
How do I contact my Hospitalist?
You can ask your nurse to page the Hospitalists anytime during your hospital stay since they are available to you and your family to visit about your treatment plan. During critical and stressful moments, they provide honest and considerate answers to your questions.
Will I ever see my primary care physician?
In many areas of the US, primary care physicians are referring their patients to a Hospitalist when their patients are sick enough to need hospital care. During your hospital stay you will be seen by a Hospitalist and you will be seen by your regular doctor soon after discharge from the hospital.
|