saint-vincent-header-logo-450x79

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.

More Information

Eight Types of Bacterial Infections and Their Symptoms

Infection can take many forms. Commonly known infections are viral, like the flu or COVID-19, fungal, like ringworm or athlete’s foot, or bacterial, which include skin infections and food poisoning. Because infections can become serious, it’s important to know the signs and seek treatment. Below, we focus on eight types of bacterial infections and their symptoms that can indicate when to call a doctor or get immediate medical attention.

Cuts

  • Redness around the wound, especially if it spreads or streaks
  • Swelling or warmth
  • Pain or tenderness
  • Pus oozing or around the wound
  • Swollen lymph nodes in neck, armpits or groin
  • Delayed healing

Burns

  • Increase in pain or discomfort
  • Redness, especially if it spreads or streaks
  • Swelling or warmth
  • Pus or fluid oozing from the site
  • Bad smell around the burn
  • Note: a popped burn blister is at risk for infection

Strep Throat

  • Sore throat
  • Hard to swallow
  • Loss of appetite
  • Headache
  • White or red patches in the back of the throat

Urinary Tract Infection

  • Frequent urination
  • Burning while urinating
  • Fever
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Cloudy urine

Pneumonia

  • Fever
  • Chills or sweating
  • Shortness of breath
  • Pain in chest
  • Cough
  • Fatigue

Food Poisoning

  • Abdominal cramps
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Fever

Bacterial Meningitis

  • Stiff neck
  • Headache
  • Fever
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Light sensitivity
  • Confusion

Sepsis (Life-Threatening)

  • Fast heart rate
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fever
  • Severe pain
  • Chills or sweating
  • Confusion

Seven Ways to Prevent Bacterial Infections

  1. Take vaccinations for preventable infections, such as tetanus.
  2. Keep skin moist so that it doesn’t crack and bleed.
  3. Wash hands frequently and bathe regularly to keep harmful bacteria off of skin.
  4. Clean wounds and change bandages regularly to remain clean. Apply antibiotic ointment with clean hands.
  5. Cook food thoroughly to avoid food poisoning.
  6. Keep personal items personal such as toothbrushes. Avoid using utensils and glassware used by others as well.
  7. Practice safe sex to avoid sexually transmitted infections.

Sources:
Healthline
Medical News Today

All Services