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Hospital Care
We want to help make you as comfortable as possible during your hospital stay and we recognize that one of the best ways to accomplish this is by helping you understand who will care for you during your hospital stay. Ottawa Regional Medical Center has assigned a physician to the care of hospital patients, monitoring the patients’ progress and coordinating care through the entire hospital stay. The hospital physician, also called a “Hospitalist” is one of several OMC physicians who will be rotating coverage on a weekly basis for all OMC hospitalized patients.
What is a Hospitalist?
A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in caring for patients during their hospital stay. They perform examinations and procedures; they order tests and treatments. They make daily rounds, consult with specialists, and talk to you (and your family if you request it) about your condition, treatments and special needs. An Ottawa Regional Medical Center Hospitalist will ensure you receive the best possible care during your hospital stay. While on duty as a hospitalist, the physician does not have regularly scheduled office hours and is more readily available to address your needs and concerns as a hospital patient.
Will my personal physician know what’s happening with me?
Yes. On the day you are admitted to the hospital, your personal physician will be notified that you are here. The hospitalist caring for you will explain why you are here, will provide your personal physician with the details of your illness, including your diagnosis and the plan for your care during your hospitalization, and will communicate with your personal physician throughout your stay. Your doctor will also receive a record of all tests, treatment, medications, specialty consultations and procedures ordered during your hospital stay. If follow-up care is necessary, this will be indicated as well, so that your personal physician knows exactly what needs to be done. On the day you leave the hospital, the hospitalist will notify your personal physician that you have been discharged.
What will happen once I leave the hospital?
Before you leave the hospital, the hospitalist will arrange for any support services that you may need, such as home care, physical therapy or occupational therapy. The hospitalist also will provide any necessary referrals for short-term care, long-term care or hospice. He or she will make sure you have the prescriptions and medications you need. The hospitalist physician can help you schedule follow-up appointments with your personal physician and/or specialists and can arrange for any tests that should be done before your follow-up visit with your personal physician. You must make a follow-up appointment with you personal physician to monitor your condition and renew prescriptions. Once you leave the hospital, your personal physician will take charge of your care.
How do I get up-to date information on my care?
The hospitalist physician will be available throughout the day to answer any questions you or your family may have. He or she will have the latest information on your progress and plans for your continued care. Ask a nurse for assistance if you need to contact the hospitalist physician on duty.
Will I see the same Hospitalist throughout my stay?
The OMC Hospitalist caring for you makes every effort to provide consistent care throughout your stay. In many cases, that will mean you’ll be seen by the same physician. However, depending on when you are admitted and the length of your stay, you may be seen by more than one physician in the OMC Hospitalist group. Regardless, the hospitalists work as a team, in addition to coordinating with your nurses, to provide consistent, efficient care – no matter who is overseeing your stay.
What if I need to see another specialist while I’m in the hospital?
Consultations with other specialist physicians are often necessary. The hospitalist physician coordinates your treatment and will help you obtain appropriate specialty care. Depending on your medical conditions, the hospitalist physician may transfer your care to a specialist. If you have been seen previously be a specialist, it is important that you provide the hospitalist with the name of the specialist physician who has been providing your care. Later, as your condition improves, the specialist may return responsibility for your care to the hospitalist physician until you leave the hospital.
What are the benefits to me?
First and foremost, high quality care is more available to you throughout the day, seven days a week. The hospitalist physician is more readily available to you if your condition changes. Because the hospitalist is based in the hospital, decisions are made quickly as situations arise. Treatments are modified and test results followed up on more quickly. All Ottawa Regional Medical Center Hospitalist physicians are board certified in Internal Medicine, Family Practice, or Pediatrics.
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