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Stay Safe in the Hospital

Contrary to what a lot of people think, hospitals are not a very safe place. Especially if you are relatively healthy and are being admitted for a minor problem.

There are some steps you can take to protect yourself, a parent or your child when hospitalized. Probably, the most important step is to make sure there is a doctor in charge of your care and that you know who that doctor is.

The trend in medicine has become that a doctor who works only inside the hospital rather than your regular doctor, will take over your care when you are admitted to the hospital. These doctors are called Hospitalists. A Hospitalist is a doctor trained in internal medicine, who only sees patients in the hospital. He or she does not have an office outside of the hospital or see patients before their admission to the hospital or after their discharge. Hospitalist is the fastest growing medical specialty in the United States.

Chances are that your family doctor no longer sees patients in the hospital or within the next five years, will stop doing so.

The upside of having a Hospitalist take over your care is that a Hospitalist spends their entire day in the hospital. They are available throughout the day to monitor changes in condition, follow-up on tests, lab work and check to see if prescribed treatments have worked. He or she ideally works as the “quarterback” of the medical team when a number of specialists are involved.

The downside is that over half of the Hospitalists in this country are under the age of 37. You or your loved one will probably be assigned a Hospitalist and have no say in who their Hospitalist is. The Hospitalist will not have the same familiarity with your medical history as your regular doctor. Also, Hospitalists usually have a quota or minimum number of patients they must see every day, which may limit the attention your medical problem gets.

Therefore, it is important to speak up either as the patient, or an advocate for a parent, child or spouse. Make sure your regular doctor is communicating with the Hospitalist and is aware of everything that is going on with you. And, after you are discharged from the hospital make sure your regular doctor knows what went on during your hospitalization.