I suspect that few people who have to go into a hospital for medical problems or surgery have no idea about what a hospitalist does. It can change your care greatly. I had my first exposure to a hospitalist when I flew to Las Vegas to see my elderly brother in what was supposed to be the best hospital there. I was appalled at the care I saw from the hospitalist. He wandered in mid-morning, briefly spoke to my brother and then left soon after that. My brother's private physician said she did not go to the hospital but worked from 9 to 5! I was appallled The hospitalist did not review my brother's past medical records, did not speak to his private physician, or to me. Even the nurses and social workers were appalled at his care. Subsequently, I have had other reports about these physicians. One doctor friend, who had to hospitalize her daughter at our local medical school hospital, finally transferred the young woman to another hospital. She said the hospitalist there was not quite as bad!
I have a friend who is presently having surgery by an orthopedist who essentially leaves all her patient care to the hospitalist. I have urged my friend not to go back to the surgeon but she liked the results of her first hip surgery, despite the awful care from the hospitalist. I ended up doing a lot of her care with several phone calls a day. The orthopedist is what my favorite medical school professor would call a technician, not a doctor. The orthopedist saw my friend twice and basically stood at the door and said "hello". She did not examine my friend or really ask her how things were going. I am afraid we are training more doctors like that. I worry greatly about medical care in the years ahead. It often is all about money. Hospitalists are usually trained in internal medicine and then have some additional training. They make very large salaries and concern about their patients does not seem to be high on the list of the several with whom I have had contact. I am glad I practiced in the "glory days" of medicine.
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