Advocate Medical Group Hospitalist Program

While in the hospital, you require special resources, attention and optimal medical care. Advocate Medical Group patients who are hospitalized can now receive these benefits through the Hospitalist Program.

What is a Hospitalist?
A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in the care of patients while they are in the hospital. Instead of dividing their time between their offices and the hospital, the physician focuses all of his or her attention on the care of hospitalized patients.

How does the Hospitalist Program work?
If you need to be admitted to an Advocate hospital, your Advocate Medical Group physician will contact the hospitalist and discuss your case.

Once you are in the hospital, the hospitalist will be in charge of your day-to-day care. Your hospitalist will talk to you in-depth about the issues that are important for your medical needs. He or she will take a complete medical history and perform a thorough examination.

Detailed summaries of your hospitalization, changes and updates will be prepared and faxed to your primary care physician's office within 24 hours. Lab and test results will also be forwarded to their office. Both the hospitalist and your primary care physician work in partnership to ensure that you get the best possible care.

What are the benefits of the Hospitalist Program?

• Care provided by expert physicians
  The physicians associated with our Hospitalist program are physicians who are board-certified in Internal Medicine and Family Practice. They are not medical interns or residents, but highly trained and experienced Advocate Medical Group physicians.
• Enhanced communication with the physician
  As a patient in the hospital, you need intense support from physicians and hospital staff. The Hospitalist Program increases the availability of our physicians within the hospital. Most important, high quality care is available around the clock, seven days a week. The patient can see a doctor as often as needed. Under traditional practices, patients might see their doctor once a day during their routine rounds.

The increased availability of physicians in the hospital means improved communication with hospital nurses, therapists, radiology staff, discharge planners, emergency room physicians and other consulting physicians.

• Timely care
  Hospitalists based at Advocate Health Care hospitals can make quicker decisions if the need should arise. They are more responsive and can rapidly modify treatment or follow-up on a test result. This hands-on approach not only helps prevent medical complications, but also results in reduced hospital stays.
• Improved access overall
  Advocate Medical Group physicians who no longer need to make hospital visits during a given week will have additional appointment times. Increased office availability allows Advocate Medical Group physicians to provide more time to outpatient care.

The Hospitalist Program was implemented to optimize your inpatient care. Ideally, at Advocate Medical Group we strive to keep you in good health and hope you will not need to be hospitalized. However, if you do, rest assured that it is our priority to listen and respond to your health care needs and provide you with the best care possible.