Skilled Doctors Playing an Important Role

At Saint Vincent Hospital, we’re dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate care to those in our community. As part of our ongoing commitment to excellence, our Hospitalist Program plays a critical part in providing you with support in getting the care you need. Hospitalists are doctors whose primary focus is providing general medical care for anyone admitted to our hospital.

What Do Saint Vincent Hospitalists Do?

Hospitalists are responsible for many important tasks, including:

Working in partnership with your primary care doctor to coordinate inpatient care
Working closely with nurses, ancillary staff and other specialists involved in your care
Being familiar with the hospital’s systems for ordering tests, analyzing results and arranging for treatment
Being trained to quickly recognize and respond to changes in the patient’s condition
Being available at the hospital 24 hours a day, so they can see patients as frequently as their medical conditions require
Promptly providing your doctor with a written report of your hospital visit to facilitate any follow-up care you may need

If you do not have a primary care doctor, the Hospitalist team will provide you with a list and arrange your follow-up care.

How Hospitalists Help Primary Care Doctors

Hospitalists practice full-time in the hospital, so they are readily available to help your doctor. When you enter the hospital, a Saint Vincent Hospitalist will immediately begin acting as attending doctor for the length of the hospital stay.

Hospitalists will:

Provide prompt admission and treatment
Oversee your entire hospital stay to provide quality care
Communicate ongoing patient status to your primary care doctor on a timely basis

Daily activities include:

Coordinating hospital admissions
Arranging diagnostic testing and specialty consultations
Explaining findings and discussing recommendations with patients
Orchestrating all patient care
Providing medical care for patients who need surgical treatment
Managing urgent situations that may arise during the hospitalization
Reviewing hospital treatment with insurance companies and payers

Career Opportunities

If you’re interested in a career as a Hospitalist at Saint Vincent Hospital, call (508) 363-6849 to learn more.

Signs of Dehydration in Adults, Infants and Young Children

Dehydration happens when the body loses more fluid than it takes in. As a result, the body’s mental and physical performance is compromised. Slipping below the body’s normal fluid levels happens to people from time to time, and it’s usually solved by drinking more water. However, some kinds of dehydration are severe to the point of becoming life-threatening.

What Are the Causes of Dehydration?

Aside from not drinking enough fluids, you may also experience dehydration because of sweating and urinating too much, diarrhea, a gastrointestinal infection, too much caffeine or diuretics, fever and vomiting.

Are You at Risk for Dehydration?

Some people are more at risk for dehydration than the others. These include (1) people with chronic conditions that may cause them to sweat or urinate beyond normal, (2) older adults since they tend to lose their sense of thirst as they age, (3) people who exercise or work under the sun, (4) infants and young children who are more likely to experience vomiting and diarrhea and (5) individuals who take medicines or supplements that cause them to sweat or urinate more than usual.

What Are the Signs of Dehydration?

You know it’s time to see a doctor if you or someone you love experience any of the following signs and symptoms of dehydration.

Signs of Dehydration in Adults

Dizziness	Dry mouth	Dry skin
Feeling extremely thirsty	Feeling of fainting	Feeling tired
Dark urine	Sweating beyond normal	Urinating beyond normal

Signs of Dehydration in Infants and Young Children

Being irritable

Being unusually drowsy or sleepy

Crying without tears

Dry or sticky mouth and tongue

Eyes that look sunken

High fever

No wet diapers for 3 hours or more

How is Dehydration Diagnosed?

Doctors usually diagnose individuals who are showing signs of dehydration though checking their vital signs, doing a physical exam and evaluating their symptoms. Your specialist may also request urine tests and blood tests to check your kidney function and electrolyte levels.

What Are the Treatment Options for Dehydration?

The treatment for dehydration varies depending on its severity. For mild cases, doctors may recommend drinking lots of water, sports drinks and considering oral rehydration solutions. On the other hand, people who are experiencing severe dehydration may need to be treated in the hospital with intravenous (IV) fluids with salt.

Final Thoughts

Are you experiencing signs and symptoms of dehydration? Please speak with a doctor as soon as possible to prevent greater health risks. Meanwhile, some of the best ways to prevent dehydration include drinking at least eight glasses of water daily, limiting your sugar and caffeine intake and drinking extra fluids, such as sports drinks, when it’s hot or when you are ill.

Stay hydrated!

Find a Doctor

Sources:
MedlinePlus
KidsHealth

Hospitalist Program