A Hospitalist is a physician who specializes in internal medicine and works exclusively in a hospital or inpatient setting. Hospitalists focus on the site of care (the hospital), which differs from doctors who focus on a system (such as Neurologists), a disease (like oncology), or around a patient's age (such as Pediatricians).  

Hospitalists act as a quarterback for the medical team once admitted to a hospital until discharged. They handle the intake, consult with specialists as needed, and work with the rest of the hospital team to manage that patient's care. They also ensure that when a patient is discharged, they either have appropriate home care or are released to a different facility, such as a rehabilitation hospital.    

A Hospitalist is a relatively new term, first coined in 1996. As hospitals became more technologically advanced, it became clear that a physician who was generally versed in medicine and technology would be needed to fill the gap between specialists and clinical physicians, as clinical physicians had other responsibilities. Hospitalists as a profession emerged to fill this gap.  

Personality of a Hospitalist
Generally, Hospitalists are science-oriented people who enjoy knowing about all medicine areas and like working with others and dealing with patients and families. They should possess some essential skills to be successful. 

• Interpersonal Skills

Hospitalists see patients and families during a challenging period in their lives. They need to communicate the diagnoses, the treatment plan, and the health outcomes clearly and respond to concerns with empathy and care. In particular, when communicating highly scientific or technical findings, Hospitalists need to make this information accessible to laypeople. 

• Collaboration Skills

Hospital care is a very collaborative work environment. Hospitalists work closely with emergency physicians, specialists, case managers, and social workers to coordinate patient care. You need strong collaboration skills and enjoy the team-based aspect of the job. 

• Problem-solving Skills

Hospitalists look over lots of different data pieces, from history to lab tests to vital signs, and put all these puzzle pieces together to provide an accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment plan.