Patient Information
How We Care for You
A member of Hospitalists of Northern Michigan works with your referring doctor when you are admitted to the hospital to ensure that your stay is as comfortable, safe and efficient as possible. The referring doctor may be your primary care physician, an emergency room physician, or a specialist. If it is the latter, he or she may treat a specific condition that you have, while a member of our team will be consulted for your general care in the hospital. We may also be asked to do a pre-op evaluation if you are scheduled for surgery.
We recognize that entrusting your care to a physician you have not met may be a new experience, but you can be assured that the admitting physician will give us a thorough overview of your condition and medical history. One of our hospitalists will visit you daily during your hospital stay and will maintain close communication with your regular physician and your family. He or she may just turn out to be your best friend in the hospital!
Hospitalists of Northern Michigan physicians also work closely with physician assistants to give you the best possible care. And since we are also a teaching service, there may be medical students, residents or other students involved in your care, closely supervised by one of our hospitalists. Everyone who interacts with you will clearly identify themselves, and will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
When you are discharged, we will update your primary care physician on your condition, including providing a summary of all lab work, reports and studies that were performed while you were in the hospital. This communication is a very important part of your care and will assure that your primary care provider is fully informed and that your office record is complete.
As hospitalists, we are experts in hospital conditions, since we specialize only in hospital medicine. We can often anticipate complications and help ward them off. Members of the Hospitalists of Northern Michigan team are always on site and thus available to you whenever your condition requires it. We also act as advocates for you in dealing with various hospital departments and services.
Studies have shown that because of the more patient-centric care provided by hospitalists, patient stays are often shorter. When it is time for you to be discharged, we will provide you with a list of medications, as well as any other instructions you need to follow at home, and will explain everything to you and your family in depth. You will be told when to follow up with your primary care physician, or if you do not have one, arrangements will be made to find you one.
Last but not least, you will probably notice that scheduling your next appointment will be much easier and that your primary care physician will have more time for you, because thanks to Hospitalists of Northern Michigan, he or she is freed up from hospital duties. And if for some reason you have a problem soon after discharge and are unable to reach your own primary care physician, you can call the hospital switchboard and ask to talk to a member of our team.