For patients

United Hospitalist Service are internal medicine and pediatric physicians who provide care to hospitalized patients at United Hospital. We provide in-hospital care, 24/7/365. More commonly known as "hospitalists," we are highly experienced in the diagnosis, treatment and coordination of care of hospitalized patient. Think of us as your primary care doctor while you are hospitalized.

Your personal physician referred you to United Hospitalist Service because we are skilled internal medicine specialists whose primary focus is on the care of the hospitalized patient.

Your United Hospitalist Service doctor will direct your care, answer your questions, and coordinate your discharge plans. He or she will stay in contact with your personal physician during your stay.

If your personal physician is located in a town outside the metro area, he or she may have referred you to United Hospitalist Service because of the need to be seen by a doctor each day in the hospital. Your personal physician's schedule and the distance he or she would have to travel may make it difficult for your physician to be at United Hospital on a daily basis. Because our doctors are in the hospital or on-call, they can respond quickly to your medical needs during your stay. They also can arrange for a wide variety of specialists to consult on your care if that becomes necessary.

In most cases, you will be cared for by the same United Hospitalist Service physician. You may have more than one United Hospitalist Service physician if you have a prolonged hospital stay. Our electronic health record system will ensure that all relevant information regarding your care will be conveyed to your physician(s).

During your hospital stay, your United Hospitalist Service physician will contact your personal physician to obtain additional medical history and discuss treatment plans, if necessary. Upon discharge, a letter detailing your hospital stay, test results and follow-up instructions will be sent to your hometown clinic physician.

When you are discharged from the hospital, your outpatient physician will resume responsibility for your care. Depending on your outpatient medical needs, you may also be under the care of other specialist physicians.

Your bill from United Hospitalist Service doctor will be similar to what your clinic physician would have charged. With each inpatient hospital stay, there are several bills generated:

• one from the hospital
• one from United Hospitalist Service
• another from specialty physicians who performed consultations or diagnostic tests

United Hospitalist Service doctors participate in almost all insurance plans. If you are concerned about insurance, please contact your health care plan.