Patients at The Medical Center of Southeast Texas will receive quality care from our dedicated medical professional team – including hospitalists. Much like a primary care physician, hospitalists are trained in general internal medicine and other specialties to treat a variety of medical conditions. Because they are solely focused on hospital care, these providers can dedicate their efforts to caring for patients with acute, critical or complex medical problems in a hospital setting.
What is a hospitalist?
A hospitalist is a licensed physician who cares for patients that are hospitalized and does not operate an outside practice. These doctors are responsible for managing the care of patients from admission through discharge, coordinating and consulting with specialists, ordering tests, monitoring patient progress and continually communicating with their primary care physician about their treatment plan.
The term “hospitalist” itself is relatively new and was first used in 1996. Due to the increasingly complex nature of hospital patient cases, the need for these types of providers became vital to providing excellent care to patients. Instead of patients being cared for by physicians with other obligations such as ambulatory care and other clinical obligations, this model allows for a dedicated physician to work closely with a patient’s PCP while the patient is within the four walls of a hospital.
Studies have shown that hospitalists help reduce length of stay for patients and that this model has produced a set of specialized practitioners that have helped improve efficiency as well as overall patient outcomes. In short, hospitalists have become vital to the success in treatment of patients in hospital environments.
What does a hospitalist do?
These specialists provide general medical care to hospitalized patients and, since there are a number of conditions to be treated in hospitals, the responsibilities of a hospitalist can be rather vast. They handle everything from leading a medical team to examining individuals, ordering diagnostics tests and x-rays and other necessary lab work. They’ll also analyze those tests and order services or treatments and prescribe medications. While a patient is admitted, hospitalists are able to communicate in real time with the referring PCPs and then relay information upon discharge about conditions to be followed up. This bridges a gap in the care continuum that patients often fall victim to.
Skilled Nursing Facility
Direct Admission
Contact Information:
Normal Business Hours
Monday-Friday (7am-3pm)
Caitlin Veazy, MSN, FNP-C
(409) 617-7709
After Business Hours/Weekends
SETMA On-Call Provider
(409) 724-7389
Program Director
Monday-Friday (8am-5pm)
Ben Desormeaux
(409) 853-5796
benjamin.desormeaux@hnihc.com