Hospitalists are physicians who specialize in taking care of patients while they are in the hospital, including those admitted through the Emergency Department. Hospitalist programs were started to provide patients with access to the highest quality care at all times. A hospitalist acts as your primary doctor while you are an inpatient, and is in frequent contact with your primary care physician-whether your admission is planned or an emergency.

This allows other physicians in the community to focus on patients who have scheduled appointments in their practices. Hospitalists must meet the same requirements as every other physician on the hospital's medical staff and were chosen because of their skills and ability to provide quality patient care.

Since 2008, a medical hospitalist program has been in place at Carteret Health Care and has become an increasingly important part of the team. Hospitalists are physicians who specialize in managing a patient's care while in the hospital and can quickly respond to changes in the patient's condition, order medical changes or tests and answer questions.

Several of the benefits of the hospitalist program include:

  • Shorter waiting time for a bed. The hospitalist helps speed up the process of getting patients admitted from the Emergency Room.
  • Better communication. Because hospitalists only work in the hospital, they can spend time talking to you and your family. The hospitalist becomes the center point for communication so that the patient, family, primary care physician, and specialists all talk with the same person.
  • Personalized, family-centered care. Since hospitalists practice fulltime in the hospital, they are available whenever you or a family member has a question regarding medical care. You don't have to wait for your primary care physician makes rounds to share your concerns or get answers.
  • Shorter hospital stay. Having the hospitalist act as provider and coordinator of your care eliminates much of the wait time for tests, results, and consultations. The hospitalist makes sure each step happens in a timely manner, and this can reduce your length of stay by as much as a day.
  • Quicker discharge. Patients can wait all day for their physician to arrive or for a surgeon to finish other cases and release them from the hospital. The hospitalist can give discharge approval more quickly, to get you on your way home sooner.
  • Continuity of care. Carteret Health Care provides hospitalists and Emergency Room physicians. Thus, if you come through the ER and need to be admitted, our physician team can quickly and effectively coordinate your care. They are highly committed to quality and patient satisfaction.
  • Better quality of care. In case of an emergency while you're in the hospital, your hospitalist is nearby and will see you several times a day, if needed. Your hospitalist knows every specialist and department in the hospital, and will follow up on tests and adjust your treatment throughout the day as needed.