HOW TO WORK WITH HOSPITALISTS

 

Hospital care has changed a lot in the past 20 or 30 years.  Patients are now admitted only for serious illness or injuries.  They stay for shorter times and many are discharged when their condition is stable but before they are fully recovered.  Discharges often happen with little advance notice.

 

There is another change that is just as important.  It’s about the doctors.  In many hospitals, there are now special doctors called “hospitalists”.  They manage patient care during the hospitalization.  This is a job that used to be done by doctors with offices in the community.  Today, doctors in the community may not even know their patients are in the hospital.

 

Here are some ways to work together with hospitalists:

 

Ask to talk to the hospitalist if you arrive at a time when he or she is not present.  Hospitalists may be assigned to more than one patient unit and not be able to meet you right away.

 

  1. When you meet the hospitalist, ask how to contact him or her and best times to call.
  2. Explain your relationship to the patient and say that you are responsible for his or her care after discharge.  The hospitalist then knows whom to contact with updates and instructions.
  3. Give your cell phone number (or other way to reach you) to everyone involved in your family member’s care.  This information should also be written in the patient’s chart and shared with the team.  Doing so makes it easer to follow HIPAA privacy rules because the team can share medical information with you as the person responsible for the patient’s care (unless, of course, the patient objects).  See the Next Step In Care guide “HIPAA: Questions and Answers for Family Caregivers”, at www.nextstepincare.org for more information.
  4. Ask the hospitalist how long he or she will be on duty.  When will the shift change?  Who will be caring for your family member on the next shift?
  5. Ask the hospitalist to contact your family’s primary care doctor and, as needed, other specialists.  If the patient is under the care of one or more specialists (such as a cardiologist), request that the hospital check with that specialist about medications or recent tests.  Make sure the hospitalist knows the name and contact information or the patient’s primary care doctor.
  6. Tell the primary care doctor and important specialists that your family member has been admitted to the hospital.  Provide the name and phone number of the hospitalist in charge.  Many hospitals do not inform community doctors when a patient is admitted.  You can help by opening lines of communication between the hospital and your family member’s community doctors.
  7. Review your family member’s medications with the hospitalist.  Tell the team about all the medications that your family member takes including over-the-counter medications, herbal preparations, and vitamin or nutritional supplements.  Also mention if your family member has had an allergic reaction, such as a rash or difficulty breathing, to certain medications.  It helps to have an updated medication list.