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Hospitalists are physicians who provide care to people only while they are patients at the hospital. Their work schedule ensures that around the clock care is available should the need arise.

If a patient is admitted to Kootenai Clinic and does not have a primary care physician or a primary care physician who practices at Kootenai, they will be assigned a hospitalist to manage their care during their stay.

All hospitalists at Kootenai are licensed in the state of Idaho and are board certified or board eligible. They are required to meet the same continuing medical education requirements as any other licensed physicians.

Advantages of being treated by a hospitalist include:

• Patients are seen daily by a physician who is familiar with care management in a hospital setting.
• The doctor is always available to the patient and their family.
• Nurses caring for the hospitalists’ patients have immediate, on-site access to the physicians 24-7.
• The hospitalist has immediate, on-site access to the patient’s lab tests and other reports and can make needed adjustments quickly.

If you are treated by a hospitalist at Kootenai, they will refer you to an appropriate physician for follow-up care after you are well enough to go home.

Additionally, some local physicians have hospitalists manage the care of their patients who are hospitalized.