Hospital Physicians

During your stay at Marshall, your personal physician may "make rounds" and visit you. However, your care will be led by a hospital-based physician, or "hospitalist." The sole-responsibility of our hospitalists is caring for you during your hospital stay. These physicians are all board-certified specialists in Internal Medicine. Their sole focus is on hospital patients and they remain onsite, ready to attend to any issues that might arise.

Benefits of the hospital-based physician approach:

• A sole focus on inpatient care – A hospitalist is readily available to discuss your questions and concerns.
• Quick test results – Expedites lab and imaging results for a timely response.
• Custom plan of care – Create a unique plan of care with updates to your primary and specialty physicians to ensure they are there when you need them.
• Team focus – coordinating your medical services, including consulting with physicians, therapists, nurses, and case managers.
• Comprehensive care management – During your stay, a nurse case manager will be assigned to you to oversee your care, explain options and help you make informed decisions.
• Go home sooner – Patients can be discharged when they are ready, as a member of the hospitalist team is always available to handle the discharge process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my regular physician take care of me while I'm in the hospital?
Your family physician is part of the team overseeing your care. The hospitalist team is at the hospital full time. They are more readily available to you and are also frequently consulting with your family doctor, who may visit you before or after normal office hours.

How will my regular physician know what's happening with my care?
Your regular physician is alerted when you are admitted to the hospital. Throughout your stay there is close communication between your physician and the hospitalist. When you go home, your physician will receive a detailed summary of your stay including discharge diagnosis, any medications ordered, and recommended follow up care.

How do I reach my hospitalist during my stay?
Let your nurse know and they will locate the doctor for you.

If my regular physician is working as a hospitalist too, who will see me for an urgent office visit?
Your physician's partners will provide routine and urgent care. They will speak with your physician should the need arise.