What is a Hospitalist?

Hospitalists are physicians who are dedicated to the care of inpatients. They typically contract with (or ar employed by) Hospitals, Medical Groups, and/or Insurers to provide inpatient care on a fee-for-service or capitated basis. The typical Hospitalist is an Internist, and a significant number of Hospitalists have received additional subspecialty training.

With growing evidence that dedicated inpatient physicians are able to markedly improve efficiency and lower the cost of care, while having a favorable impact on the quality of care, the Hospitalist movement is being embraced by Payers, Physicians and Patients.

Hospitalist programs exist in nearly every market, regardless of the level of managed care penetration. Thousands of physicians now call themselves Hospitalists.

Hospitalists can help to control overutilization by providing 24-hour leadership, especially in situations involving complex clinical, financial, and ethical issues.