Hospitalized patients often see a number of specialists. But at Auburn Regional Medical Center (ARMC) many patients receive care from a relatively new type of specialist called a hospitalist. Just like the name implies, a hospitalist is an internal medicine physician who specializes in caring for patients while they're in the hospital.

"The medical field has changed dramatically and become much more complex," says Robert Bessler, M.D., president of Sound Inpatient Physicians, a physician hospitalist group that serves patients at ARMC. "Hospitalists help hospitals and primary care physicians (PCPs) provide patients with the best hospital care and the best experience possible."

A growing number of hospitals and physicians nationwide rely on hospitalists to expedite and streamline care. In fact, many physicians in the Auburn area refer patients who are hospitalized at ARMC to hospitalists within the Sound Inpatient Physicians group.

"We're available to patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week," says Larry Dell Isola, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Sound Inpatient Physicians. "We're in the hospital monitoring patients and helping to provide the care they need — when they need it."

A Friendly and Familiar Face
Hospitalists do not replace patients' PCPs, but they perform a similar role while patients are hospitalized. For example, they:

• Meet with patients daily to discuss conditions, treatments and answer any questions
• Order tests
• Seek consultations with specialists
• Prescribe medications
• Respond quickly to urgent or emergency situations
• Stay in contact with nurses caring for patients
• Provide care and services around the clock

"Being in the hospital can be frightening and overwhelming," Dr. Dell Isola says. "But many patients feel more comfortable because they know we're at the hospital to coordinate all aspects of their care."

Hospitalists also keep PCPs informed of patients' conditions, treatments, results of tests and lab work, and provide PCPs with discharge summaries when patients leave the hospital.

Patients and Physicians Rely on Hospitalists
The growing popularity of hospitalists is not surprising when you consider all the benefits they offer patients and physicians.

For example, patients often feel more at ease because they don't have to wait until their doctor visits them after office hours. Their hospitalist is readily available to answer their questions and make timely medical decisions.

"We work to develop strong bonds with patients because we know being hospitalized can be difficult," says Ed Gil De Rubio, M.D., Chief Hospitalist at ARMC. "We're able to make a real difference in their physical and emotional health."

PCPs referring patients to a hospitalist can be confident that experts who are familiar with all facets of hospital care are closely monitoring hospitalized patients. That gives PCPs more time to focus on the patients they see at their offices.

ARMC a Leader in Hospitalist Care
If you have not heard of the concept of hospitalists, you are not alone. The model for hospitalist medicine was developed in the late 1990s, so it is a relatively recent innovation. Auburn Regional Medical Center (ARMC) was one of the nation's first medical facilities to embrace the concept.

Hospitalists from Sound Inpatient Physicians care for patients hospitalized at ARMC. The program is six years old. Robert Bessler, M.D., who managed the Auburn hospitalist team, founded Sound Inpatient Physicians and now serves as its president. The company's 10 hospitalists work in teams to oversee patients' care while they're hospitalized at ARMC.

"We're a physician-led and patientfocused company," Dr. Bessler says. "We don't have outside, personal practices. Inpatients are our medical practice so we can focus our attention fully on caring for hospitalized patients."

Advantages to receiving care from hospitalists include:

• Primary care physicians work in conjunction with Sound Inpatient Physicians hospitalists to provide optimal inpatient hospital care. As patients are admitted to the hospital, their inpatient care is assigned to a hospitalist team, and the team can update the plan of care around the clock.
• The company's hospitalists provide 24/7 medical care within the hospital. They are available to patients and build a collegial relationship with the nursing staff.
• Patients appreciate their hospitalist team as they can see a physician often.
• Hospitalists help reduce medical errors by being on the wards all day.