Hospitalist Program

Most of the patients at Good Samaritan Medical Center are cared for by hospitalists during their stay. This fully integrated service is provided in partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess Health Care Hospitalist Services. All of our hospitalists are Harvard Medical faculty physicians.

What is a hospitalist?

Hospitalists are physicians who specialize in the care of hospitalized patients. They do not see patients in primary care offices or in outpatient clinics. Their exclusive focus is providing the best, evidence-based care for you during your hospital stay.

Why does Good Samaritan have a hospitalist service?

Hospital medicine has become increasingly common because studies have shown that hospitalists provide inpatients with high quality care while allowing primary care physicians to concentrate on outpatient care. Studies have also shown that in general, both patients and primary care physicians are very satisfied with the care they receive from hospitalists.

Hospitalists are in the hospital throughout the day and can quickly follow up on your progress and test results, and communicate with you and your family on a routine basis.

How does the hospitalist service work?

Your hospitalist will direct your care and see you every day while you are in the hospital. Your hospitalist may ask other physician specialists to see you as well. Your hospitalist works very closely with your entire care team – your primary care physician, nurses, social workers, dieticians, respiratory therapists and pharmacists – to give you the safest care available.

Your hospitalist will arrange for any services or prescriptions that you may need upon discharge.Your primary care doctor or nurse practitioner then resumes responsibility for your care and will arrange any further services you require as an outpatient.

How will the hospitalists communicate with my primary care doctor?

Hospitalists work very closely with your primary care doctor in many ways.

At the time of admission, the hospitalist and emergency room physician will inform you primary care provider of your admission and obtain additional information about your history and medications.

At the time of discharge, the hospitalist will again contact your primary care physician to update them on our hospital treatment and make recommendations for follow-up care.

A written discharge summary of your hospital stay will be forwarded to your primary care provider.

Contact information for reaching your hospitalist will be provided while you are in the hospital and at discharge.

What kind of care will I receive at Good Samaritan Medical Center?

We are committed to the highest standards of quality care, patient satisfaction and service excellence. Our goal is tot provide you with a hospital experience that meets your medical as well as your personal and emotional needs.