Benefits of working with a hospitalist
At SIU Medicine, we’re proud to attract some of the nation’s leading experts, thinkers and innovators in the health and medical field. All of our providers and physicians are highly vetted, well trained and up-to-date on the latest advances and innovations in evidence-based medicine.
SIU Medicine has a culture of progress and excellence in care and service. That’s why many of our physicians and medical providers take the extra step to become board-certified in any one of a number of medical subspecialties—as if medical school wasn’t rigorous enough! Keep reading to see why this benefits you and your loved ones.
Doctors who are board-certified in a subspecialty: What this means for patients
Doctors of all fields and specialties go through extensive and demanding training. They are truly experts in their practice and are qualified to diagnose, treat and manage a number of conditions. But some doctors decide to advance their training even further by becoming board-certified in certain subspecialties.
When a doctor has become board-certified in a given subspecialty, it means that he or she has taken on extra training and education explicitly to increase their level of expertise within that given field. They’ve also taken and passed rigorous examinations and testing to establish their expertise. Board-certified subspecialty physicians offer patients the benefit of intensive training, a deeper and more nuanced understanding of their chosen subspecialty, and the ability to provide excellence in streamlined care.
Examples of medical subspecialties include allergy and immunology, cardiovascular disease, endocrinology, gastroenterology and hematology. Another example that you may not have heard of is a hospitalist.
What is a hospitalist?
As mentioned, a hospitalist is a medical doctor who has become board-certified in a subspecialty known as hospital medicine. Hospital medicine (considered a branch of internal medicine) focuses on the care of acutely ill patients who are hospitalized.
There are several benefits to having hospitalists on board at a medical institution, according to related research. These benefits include:
- Reduced length of stay
- Improved patient safety and reduced risk of mortality
- Enhanced efficiency and continuity of care, especially across multiple disciplines
- Increased access to leading diagnostic and therapeutic innovations (since hospitalists stay up-to-date with such innovations as part of their certification and advanced training)
- Improved outcomes
The hospitalist subspecialty has grown considerably within the past few years. According to the American Board of Physician Specialties, the number of board-certified hospitalists has grown from fewer than 1,000 to more than 16,000. These days, hospitalists have the privilege of evaluating and treating individuals from all walks of life, all ages, and all health backgrounds. Some hospitalists are taking their rigorous training and expertise to the next level by specializing even more intensely.
For example, SIU Medicine is proud to have four faculty members on staff who are now certified with the newest subspecialty from the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). This subspecialty, known as Pediatric Hospital Medicine, confers board-certified physicians with expert leadership, medical education, business practice, research and innovation, and quality care of pediatric patients throughout our organization. Our pediatric hospitalists include Jody Lack, MD, Haneme Idrizi, MD, and Kate Siebenaler, MD, and Douglas W. Carlson, MD, who received the third-ever certificate awarded by the ABMS and ABP.
Are you dealing with a specific health issue that requires care beyond what your primary care physician can provide? Are you interested in seeing how a provider who is board-certified in a subspecialty could help you advance your care, save you on healthcare costs, and enhance your experience as a patient? Contact SIU Medicine at 217-545-8000 to connect with a provider today or schedule a consultation.
