Why doesn’t my Primary Care Doctors see you me in the Hospital?
In some hospitals there are still some primary care physicians that see their patients in the hospital. The days of your primary care physician or “PCP” seeing you in the hospital is pretty much long gone. Primary care physicians are very busy in there offices seeing one patient after the next. Just like any industry and business, running a hospital is a business. Physicians need to be efficient during the admission, management and discharge process. After all, there are risks of being in a hospital too long such as acquire hospital born illnesses. Hospital Medicine has more or less become a specialized area. Doctors who work in the hospital taking care of hospital patients will typically admit the patient, manage patients and discharge patients when it is appropriate. Hospitalists work closely with the community of physicians throughout the admission and discharge process to ensure the smooth transition of care. Medical records are updated and exchanged and, if your doctor prefers, a phone call is made as well.