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Beaufort Memorial Hospital
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Beaufort, SC 29902
SPECIALISTS ABOUND IN MEDICINE.
Cardiologists, neurologists and
rheumatologists are just a few of the
familiar ones.
But there’s a newer medical specialty
that may be less well-known.
Unlike doctors who are experts at
treating specifc organs or diseases, doc-
tors in this feld focus instead on a specifc
kind of patient—one who’s in the hospital.
Tese doctors are called hospital-
ists. Teir job is to coordinate the care of
people in the hospital—and it’s no easy
task. Tat’s because people who go to the
hospital these days are typically sicker
and need more complex medical care than
those who were hospitalized years ago.
Among these patients, serious health
problems or chronic diseases—such as
emphysema, heart failure, diabetes or
kidney disease—are common.
Te benefts
Hospitalists difer from other medical spe-
cialists in another important way. Unlike
doctors who spend most of their time tend-
ing to patients in a private ofce, hospital-
ists are based at the hospital.
Having these experts on-site pays divi-
dends for patients and the hospital alike,
reports the Society of Hospital Medicine.
For example, a hospitalist:
➜
➜
Works with other medical
experts—including primary care
doctors—to help patients get
proper, timely treatment. He or
she can see patients quickly
and often.
➜
➜
Meets with patients and their
families to provide medical
counseling and education.
HOSPITALISTS
A diferent kind of
medical expert
BMH hospitalists are on duty in the
hospital 24/7 to oversee patient care.
Rod Dippel, MD, is medical director
of the group. To fnd out more about
our hospitalists, go to www.bmhsc.org/
services_hospitalist.html.
MORE TO
COME
Hospitals
across the country
are seeing the benefts
of hospitalists. An esti-
mated 30,000 hospitalists
are practicing today in
more than 3,300 hospi-
tals, reports the Society
of Hospital Medicine.
Hospitalists represent
the future of healthcare.
Experts believe the feld
is poised to play a major
role in healthcare as it is
reshaped in the coming
years. With growth like
this, don’t be surprised if
you’re helped by one of
these specialists the next
time you’re in the hospital.
Rod Dippel, MD