Two physicians explain how their specialties benefit patients.
Payam Benson, MD, Hospitalist
Medical Director of the Hospitalist Program at CMC
What is a hospitalist?
A hospitalist orders tests, makes diagnoses and prescribes treatments in the hospital. Hospitalists help manage a patient’s care when his or her primary care physician (PCP) isn’t at the hospital. They are available 24/7 to order blood work and imaging tests and prescribe medications.
Why is your specialty becoming more common?
Without hospitalists, follow-up tests and treatments would be delayed until a patient’s PCP, who typically “rounds” once a day at the hospital, returned.
What are the credentials and training of a hospitalist?
Hospitalists are board-certified in internal medicine. Five of the 10 hospitalists at CMC also have training in specialties such as nephrology, pulmonology, infectious disease and sleep medicine, so they’re experienced in treating conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes and pneumonia.
How do patients benefit from hospitalists?
Patients have access to a provider at any time, since hospitalists typically work 12-hour shifts and care for the same patients. Hospitalists collaborate with a patient’s PCP to ensure continuity of care.
Fariborz Rezai, MD, Intensivist
Interim Medical Director of the Intensive Care Unit
What is an intensivist?
Also known as a critical care physician, an intensivist cares for critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Why is your specialty becoming more common?
Patients in the ICU are sicker than others and should be cared for by physicians who have the training to manage patients with life-threatening conditions. They may have complications from surgery, serious infections and breathing problems that require the use of a ventilator.
What are the credentials and training of an intensivist?
Intensivists are often trained in internal medicine and have completed a fellowship in critical care medicine and pulmonary medicine. Some may also be board- certified in other specialties, such as neurocritical care, cardiology or nephrology.
How do patients benefit from intensivists?
Research has shown that intensivists deliver care that leads to better patient outcomes. In the ICU, a patient’s condition may change rapidly, so it’s important to have a dedicated critical care physician and team on-site to deal with such circumstances.
Will I see my own PCP when I’m in the hospital?
Chances are, you will. We keep a patient’s PCP informed of his or her condition. This communication, combined with the fact that PCPs know their patients well, contributes to the delivery of excellent care.