Hospitalists coordinate expert, compassionate care across enterprise

March 5 is National Hospitalist Day, but you may wonder what exactly a hospitalist does – and why they’re an integral part of care at UK HealthCare.

The term hospitalist was coined almost 25 years ago, and hospitalists are the largest subspecialty of Internal Medicine. Hospitalists are the front-line providers for care delivery of hospitalized patients.

What does a hospitalist do?

Hospitalists collaborate with sub-specialists to coordinate care while also working on the quality improvement and patient safety endeavors of a hospital. They coordinate admission, daily care and discharge in order to plan care with primary care physicians.

Hospitalists are experts on innovative evidence and practice patterns in order to deliver the best high value and compassionate care to hospitalized patients.

What makes a hospitalist important?

Hospitalists have a unique vantage point allowing them to lead improvements in healthcare delivery. Hospitalists work closely with nurses, case managers and social workers to coordinate care with surgeons, organ specialists, pharmacists and – most importantly – our patients.

Here at UK HealthCare, we have hospitalists heavily involved in medical student education, resident education, research and process improvement initiatives. Most of all, hospitalists provide compassionate, high-value care and contribute important improvements to improving hospital management.