Hospitalists

When patients are admitted to The Medical Center, their doctor may ask that a group of physicians, called hospitalists, oversee their care. Hospitalists are available to care for patients of local physicians who have decided to limit their practices to outpatient medicine, patients with out-of-town physicians, and patients who do not have an established primary care physician.

What are hospitalists?

Hospitalists are doctors who devote their practice to the specialized care of hospitalized patients. They are trained in Family Practice, General Medicine, Geriatrics, or Internal Medicine. The hospitalist manages your care through the hospital, closely monitoring your progress, and staying in close touch with you, your family and your doctor.

How does the hospitalist program work?

Because hospitalists practice solely at The Medical Center, your hospitalist is never more than a few minutes away. The hospitalist will be in charge of your care and will see you every day to direct treatment.

The hospitalist will arrange for any prescriptions you may need upon discharge from the hospital, and you will be given instructions regarding follow-up appointments with your primary care doctor or other doctors. Your hospital records will be in your primary care doctor’s hands well before your first follow-up visit. The hospitalist practice will bill you for your portion of the service (deductibles and co-payments), if any.

How does the hospitalist know about me?

At the time of your admission to The Medical Center, your primary care physician calls the hospitalist and informs him or her of your condition, and sends records to provide information about your illness. The process is similar to what your primary care physician does when he refers you to a specialist for another opinion or additional tests or treatment.

OB/GYN Hospitalists – 24/7 specialists in the hospital for OB/GYN patients

OB/GYN hospitalists are available at The Medical Center at Bowling Green. They provide high-quality, consistent care to patients in the hospital as well as emergent care to those arriving in Labor and Delivery. OB Hospitalists do not replace your regular physician — but because OB hospitalists are always onsite, they can provide immediate surgery or manage problems until your OB/GYN arrives. They manage labor, perform deliveries, manage emergent patients, assist with C-sections, perform labor checks, care for GYN emergencies and visit OB postpartum patients.

Pediatric Hospitalists – Specialized care for children in the hospital close to home

The Medical Center at Bowling Green and UK HealthCare’s Kentucky Children’s Hospital have created the area’s first and only Pediatric Hospitalist Program. For parents, a pediatric hospitalist means an added level of assurance that their child is receiving the very best care close to home. Pediatric hospitalists provide round-the-clock access to pediatric care for children in the hospital, when a patient’s pediatrician or family medicine provider is not on site.