hospitalist

hos·pi·tal·ist

(hos'pi-tăl-ist),

1. A physician whose professional activities are performed chiefly within a hospital, for example, anesthesiologists, emergency department physicians, intensivists (intensive care specialists), pathologists, and radiologists. Synonym(s): hospital-based physician

2. A primary care physician (not a house officer) who assumes responsibility for the observation and treatment of hospitalized patients and returns them to the care of their private physicians when they are discharged from the hospital.

[hospital + -ist]

The hospitalists professional society, The National Association of Inpatient Physicians (NAIP), has defined hospitalist as a physician whose primary professional focus (clinical, teaching, research, or administration) is general inpatient care. A hospitalist may be an employee of a hospital or HMO, a contractor, or a private practitioner. About 75% of hospitalists are general internists. Hospital-based primary care physicians free general practitioners from the need to make daily rounds to visit hospitalized patients. Several studies have shown significant decreases in hospital costs and in length of hospital stays under the hospitalist system, with no decline in quality of care or patient satisfaction. Some academic medical centers have adopted hospitalist models for inpatient care and teaching.

hospitalist

(hŏs′pĭt-l-ĭst)

n.

A physician, usually an internist, who specializes in the care of hospitalized patients.

hospitalist

[hos′pi·təl·ist]

a physician specializing in hospital inpatient care.

A physician specialised in inpatient medicine, who acts as a patient’s primary doctor while the patient is hospitalised, ensuring that tests are evaluated in a more timely manner than possible for private physicians
Pros Increased efficiency in patient management, decreased hospital stay
Cons Decreased personalised physician-patient contact

hospitalist

Hospital practice A physician specialized in inpatient medicine who acts as a Pt's primary doctor while the Pt is hospitalized, ensuring that tests are evaluated in a more timely manner than possible for private physicians Pros ↑ Management efficiency, ↓ hospital stay Cons ↓ Personalized physician-patient contact. See Hospital-based physician.

hos·pi·tal·ist

(hos'pit-ăl-ist)

1. A physician whose professional activities are performed chiefly within a hospital (e.g., anesthesiologist, emergency department physician, intensivist (intensive care specialist), pathologist, and radiologist).
Synonym(s): hospital-based physician.

2. A primary care physician (not a house officer) who assumes responsibility for the observation and treatment of hospitalized patients and returns them to the care of their private physicians when they are discharged from the hospital.

hos·pi·tal·ist

(hos'pit-ăl-ist)

1. Physician whose professional activities are performed chiefly within a hospital.

2. Primary care physician who assumes responsibility for observation and treatment of hospitalized patients and returns them to the care of their private physicians when discharged from the hospital.

[hospital + -ist]