Hospitalist Program

A hospitalist is a physician dedicated to Inpatient Medicine. Our hospitalists practice diagnostic and therapeutic medicine “in the hospital.” They are specially trained to treat patients who may have acute, critical or complex illness.

Unlike other physicians, hospitalists do not have an office practice to maintain. They have no obligation to see or treat patients anywhere except inside the hospital. Our hospitalist service accepts patients from the entire Northern Indiana and Southern Michigan region. In addition, we are available to facilitate transfers to SJHS.

What you can expect

• All of our hospitalists are Board Certified.
• While your hospitalist directs care during your hospital stay, your primary care physician is an integral part of our team, even if he or she is not on staff at SJHS.
• Our hospitalists will notify your physician of important changes in your condition.
• Our hospitalists will send a copy of important documents directly to your physician.
• Our hospitalists will arrange follow-up with your physician.

Advantages to you

Because our hospitalists are always in the hospital:

• They will see you daily, and more frequently if needed.
• There is less delay in reevaluating a change in your condition.
• Physician response time to medical emergencies is drastically reduced.
• Your discharge is not dependent on a physician who has not yet arrived at the hospital.
• Hospitalists are more flexible in spending time with you or your family explaining the disease process and your prognosis.

There is an explosion of medical knowledge with the passing of every generation. Patients receive the best care when treated by physicians who are most expert in the field relevant to the patient’s needs. Sometimes, it takes a team to cover all expects of a patient’s care.

Your primary care physician is most expert in managing those issues that can be managed in the outpatient setting. Our hospitalists have chosen to focus their expertise on inpatient medicine, and they maintain best practices in this field.