The differences between inpatient and outpatient care were examined in a recent blog for The New York Times, as well as a subspeciality created in the medical field to account for these differences: the "hospitalist."
The position of the hospitalist was created when it was found that many internists could not keep up with the traditional method of practicing both inpatient and outpatient medicine at the same time. The role of the hospitalist would be for "doctors who would work full time on the inpatient side, caring for hospitalized patients on the minute-to-minute basis that they require, ideally staying fully in touch with the patient's primary care doctor."
But ideally does not mean that these functions are always carried out; is a patient helped or hurt by having multiple doctors responsible for their care at different times?
"The net effect is that the inpatient and outpatient care of our patients is shared among a group of physicians who, ideally, all know and trust one another," said Danielle Ofri, M.D. "It's not a perfect system by any means, but among the imperfect choices out there, it is probably the best." Read the complete details here:
The Ins and Outs of the Doctor's Day
Steve Crandall, a top rated medical malpractice attorney in Ohio and Kentucky, does not believe patients can benefit from the care of multiple doctors who may or may not be communicating effectively with each other regarding a patient's needs.
"The problem is hospitalists often do not know the patient as well as their long-time doctor and often shy away from becoming too involved in the care of a patient," says Crandall. "Many times the hospitalists will defer to other physicians since they do not know the patient as well, which can lead to delayed care and mistakes."
If you have any questions regarding medical malpractice throughout Ohio and Kentucky, contact Steve Crandall. Steve is available to help answer your questions and guide you in determining your next steps.
Are Hospitalists Really the Best Answer for Patient Care?