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.

Zucchini and Pesto Spaghetti

6 Servings
Serving Size: 2 1/2 cups

Keeping the heat out of the kitchen is a summer priority. Here’s a heart-healthy and tasty recipe where you can use your creativity to add ingredients if you wish. Make pesto ahead of time and have on hand for a last-minute weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Cooking spray
4 medium zucchini, chopped (about 8 cups)
12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil, spinach, arugula, or mint
1 garlic clove, minced OR 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted walnuts or almonds
2 tablespoons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth and 1 to 2 tablespoons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth as needed
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Lightly spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Cook the zucchini over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt. Drain in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
In a food processor or blender, process the basil, garlic, walnuts, 2 tablespoons broth, oil, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and 2 cups zucchini for 1 minute, or until well blended. Add 1/2 tablespoon broth for a thinner consistency. Process for 30 seconds. Repeat until the desired consistency.
In a large bowl, stir together the pasta, pesto, and 1 tablespoon reserved pasta water. One tablespoon at a time, add the remaining pasta water until the desired consistency.
Top with the remaining zucchini.

Recipe courtesy of American Heart Association

Hospitalist Program