hospitalist

noun

hos·​pi·​tal·​ist ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-tə-list 

plural hospitalists

1

: a physician and especially an internist who specializes in providing and managing the care and treatment of hospitalized patients

… the burden of trying to be all things to all of his patients became unmanageable. In 2006, after Wayne Memorial Hospital hired hospitalists—doctors who specialize in taking care of hospitalized patients—Dr. Dewar finally gave up hospital rounds.

—Gardiner Harris

… some insurers contract with doctors called hospitalists, who take over from a patient's primary physician while the patient is hospitalized.

—Milt Freudenheim

2

: a health-care professional (such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant) who is not a physician but assumes a similar role

—often used in combination

If the hospitalist nurses encounter glitches that may delay the discharge or disagree with a specialist, they can call on the medical practice medical director or associate medical directors for help.

—Case Management Advisor

Did you know?

Hospitalist refers to what is rapidly becoming a new specialty in medicine, perhaps due in part to the rise of organized health care. These days, the care that you receive during a hospital stay may be coordinated and monitored by a doctor who is not your regular doctor or the referring physician. The word hospitalist itself first appeared in print in 1996 and derives, of course, from "hospital," which in turn can be traced back to the Medieval Latin hospitale, meaning "hospice" or "guest house."

Examples of hospitalist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to the inspection report, an interview with the director of patient safety and quality and the assistant director of hospitalists was held on Jan. 18, 2023. —Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2024

Related article How to be a better ally to the LGBTQ community Not every gender diverse child feels the need for puberty blockers, said Dr. Lauren Wilson, a pediatric hospitalist and president of the Montana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, via email. —Kristen Rogers, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024

The hospital went from facing closure to one that is very profitable, and the only change that was made was to staff the hospitalist service with physicians affiliated with OSMD. —Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 26 July 2023

The most common causes of pneumonia are bacteria and viruses, Dr. Carrie Horn, chief medical officer at leading U.S. respiratory hospital National Jewish Health in Denver and a hospitalist, recently told Fortune. —Erin Prater, Fortune Well, 7 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

hospital + -ist entry 1

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Medical Definition

hospitalist

noun

hos·​pi·​tal·​ist ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit-ᵊl-əst 

1

: a physician and especially an internist who specializes in providing and managing the care and treatment of hospitalized patients

… the burden of trying to be all things to all of his patients became unmanageable. In 2006, after Wayne Memorial Hospital hired hospitalists—doctors who specialize in taking care of hospitalized patients—Dr. Dewar finally gave up hospital rounds.

—Gardiner Harris

… some insurers contract with doctors called hospitalists, who take over from a patient's primary physician while the patient is hospitalized.

—Milt Freudenheim

2

: a health-care professional (as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant) who is not a physician but assumes a similar role

—often used in combination

If the hospitalist nurses encounter glitches that may delay the discharge or disagree with a specialist, they can call on the medical practice medical director or associate medical directors for help.

—Case Management Advisor