We are the Hospitalists…resistance is futile

The Hospitalist Is In… | WP | 9.11.07

In the past 10 years, despite resistance from primary care physicians and fears that the development could erode continuity of care, the ranks of hospitalists have exploded from a few hundred physicians in 1997 to 20,000 today—about as many as there are gastroenterologists or neurologists. That’s the fastest growth for any medical specialty in the country, according to the nonprofit Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM), the professional society for hospitalists.

Most hospitalists are internists; 11 percent are pediatricians. By 2010, SHM projects 30,000 hospitalists will be practicing. Medical students may soon choose which side of the hospital divide they want to work on: inpatient or outpatient. For now, it’s your physician’s choice whether to refer you to a hospitalist or to follow your inpatient care. If you have no primary care physician, a hospitalist will probably manage your hospital stay.