Hospitalist Program at Meadville Medical Center
If you are admitted as a patient at Meadville Medical Center, you may be
cared for by one or more hospitalists during your stay. The following
information is designed to introduce you to the hospitalist program.
What is a hospitalist?
A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in caring for patients while
they are in the hospital. Hospitalists assist you through a smooth and
speedy recovery process by following up on tests and adjusting your treatment
regimen throughout the day based on those test results. The hospitalist
collaborates with your primary care physician to meet your medical needs
while you are in the hospital.
Hospitalists at Meadville Medical Center are specially trained in internal medicine or family medicine.
Who is cared for by a hospitalist?
- Patients of local physicians and medical groups who have decided to use
the hospitalist service when their patients need to be admitted to the hospital.
- Patients who don’t have a local primary care physician, possibly
referred from the hospital emergency room
- Patients from outside the Crawford County area who do not have a local
primary care physician
What are the advantages of being cared for by a hospitalist?
- Hospitalists work in the hospital and are more easily accessible in emergencies
and when questions or concerns arise during your hospital stay.
- Hospitalists are very familiar with hospital procedures and processes at
Meadville Medical Center. This enables them to function efficiently in
ordering tests, consulting other specialists and adjusting treatments
to meet your needs.
- Knowing their hospitalized patients are under expert care, primary care
physicians are able to spend more uninterrupted time caring with their
office-based patients.
How does the hospitalist work with my doctor?
Your primary care physician may request that a hospitalist be in charge
of your care during the hospital stay. In this way you have the benefit
of being seen by a doctor whose practice is focused on the care of hospitalized
patients. Additionally, this can enable your primary care doctor to be
more available to you in the office, rather than trying to go back and
forth between seeing patients in the office and in the hospital.
When you are admitted to the hospital, your primary care physician and
the hospitalist communicate with each other about your medical condition.
Your physician transfers the management of care to the hospitalist team.
Depending on the length of your stay, you may see more than one hospitalist.
While in the hospital, the hospitalist will supervise your medical care.
What if I need another specialist while in the hospital?
The hospitalist may consult other doctors to participate in your care.
If you have already been seeing other physicians at Meadville Medical
Center or elsewhere, be sure to let us know so that we can keep them informed
about your hospital stay.
The hospitalist and your primary care physician will communicate as needed
throughout your hospital stay.
The hospitalist will ensure a smooth transition back to your primary care
physician when you leave the hospital.
If you do not have a primary care physician, the hospitalist will refer
you to one when you leave the hospital.
The hospitalist also will make arrangements for any prescriptions you may
need when you are discharged.
Will I receive a separate bill for hospitalist services?
Yes. The billing process for hospitalist care is similar to being billed
by your primary care physician for hospital visits.
When will I see my primary care physician while in the hospital?
Your primary care physician may visit you while you are in the hospital.
However it is more common that you will see your primary care physician
in his/her office after your discharge from the hospital.