What Is Hospitalist Care? An Expert Weighs In

If you have been admitted to the hospital recently, you may have noticed a change. Your primary care doctor may not be the one checking on you each day. That’s not a “bad” thing, in the least. Here, Ellen Bollino, Riverside's Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), explains what a hospitalist is and why this model has become so common.

What Is a Hospitalist?

Years ago, primary care doctors visited their hospitalized patients in the morning. Then they headed to their clinic for the day. If something changed, the hospital would call them at their office. “It was quite a commitment and a lifestyle,” Bollino says.
Over time, hospitals looked for a better way. A hospitalist is a doctor who only cares for patients while they are in the hospital. They follow a patient from the emergency department all the way through discharge. Then, they hand care back to the primary doctor. In today’s medical environment, about 90% of Riverside's patients are managed by hospitalists.

Staying Connected With Your Primary Care Doctor

Even though a hospitalist takes over daily care, your regular doctor stays informed. Riverside's medical record system, Epic, notifies a patient's primary care doctor when they are admitted. Hospitalists can see notes from past visits and past lab results. They can also call the primary doctor directly if something is unclear. 
“The technology that we have in our medical record really does help us facilitate that bidirectional communication,” Bollino explains.

A Consistent Team You Can Get to Know

Riverside partners with the AIM Hospitalist Group, which is made up of 11 core physicians. They work one week on, one week off, and manage the same group of patients for seven days straight. “It allows the nursing staff to really get to know who they are,” Bollino assures. At least one hospitalist is always in the hospital and, more are available during busier daytime hours.

Specialized Care for the Youngest Patients

Riverside also partners with the University of Chicago for pediatric hospitalist coverage. Similar to the inpatient hospitalist model, at least one pediatric hospitalist is always physically present—and it is a consistent core group of physicians. “We get to know them on pretty much a first-name basis,” shares Bollino.
These doctors oversee newborns in the Family Birthing Center, managing their care and identifying if any baby needs more advanced treatment. They also manage care for hospitalized children and respond to consults in the emergency department when needed. If a baby needs more advanced care, they help coordinate transfer to University of Chicago.

A New Model for OB Care

Since February, Riverside has partnered with the OB Hospitalist Group. Riverside's own OB providers still deliver babies when they are on call and cover about 10-11 days each month. The OB Hospitalist Group covers the remaining 20 days and works 24-hour shifts.
On the days Riverside's own physicians are on call, they now stay on site around the clock too. They no longer juggle clinic hours at the same time. “It's a pretty exciting partnership for us,” Bollino emphasizes. “It's kind of a hybrid model.”

Better Communication, Better Care

Hospitalists focus only on hospitalized patients. The benefit is that they are not pulled away by clinic duties. They understand hospital workflows and testing timelines. Hospitalists can respond quickly when a patient or family member has questions. Also, they are a strong second partner to nursing staff. This eases a role that used to fall entirely on nurses.
Looking back on her career, which began before hospitalists existed at Riverside, Bollino sees real progress. “The support and knowledge that they give to our patients and families, and nursing staff is unable to be replicated by a physician split between a clinic practice and a hospital,” she notes.
To learn more about services at Riverside Healthcare, visit riversidehealthcare.org.