hospitalist

noun

hos·​pi·​tal·​ist ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-tə-list How to pronounce hospitalist (audio)
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 Health systems, hospitals, labor and delivery units, and OB hospitalist programs must also help their clinicians navigate evolving legislation by ensuring a strong understanding of how to interpret the laws and continue practicing their oath to do no harm. Mark N. Simon, STAT, 19 July 2024 Until the recession, I was raised in a two-income household, with my mom making a majority of the money as a hospitalist, and my dad being a teacher. R29 Team, refinery29.com, 24 May 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for hospitalist 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hospitalist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

hospital + -ist entry 1

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hospitalist was in 1971

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Dictionary Entries Near hospitalist

Cite this Entry

“Hospitalist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hospitalist. Accessed 3 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

hospitalist

noun
hos·​pi·​tal·​ist ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit-ᵊl-əst How to pronounce hospitalist (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on hospitalist

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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