hospitalist

noun

hos·​pi·​tal·​ist ˈhä-(ˌ)spi-tə-list 

plural hospitalists

1

: a physician and especially an internist who specializes in providing and managing the care and treatment of hospitalized patients

… the burden of trying to be all things to all of his patients became unmanageable. In 2006, after Wayne Memorial Hospital hired hospitalists—doctors who specialize in taking care of hospitalized patients—Dr. Dewar finally gave up hospital rounds.

—Gardiner Harris

… some insurers contract with doctors called hospitalists, who take over from a patient's primary physician while the patient is hospitalized.

—Milt Freudenheim

2

: a health care professional (such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant) who is not a physician but assumes a similar role

—often used in combination

If the hospitalist nurses encounter glitches that may delay the discharge or disagree with a specialist, they can call on the medical practice medical director or associate medical directors for help.

—Case Management Advisor

Did you know?

Hospitalist refers to what is rapidly becoming a new specialty in medicine, perhaps due in part to the rise of organized health care. These days, the care that you receive during a hospital stay may be coordinated and monitored by a doctor who is not your regular doctor or the referring physician. The word hospitalist itself first appeared in print in 1996 and derives, of course, from "hospital," which in turn can be traced back to the Medieval Latin hospitale, meaning "hospice" or "guest house."

Examples of hospitalist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her mother was told this by the hospitalist, also a doctor, but not the main doctor, not the one who makes the decisions. —Weike Wang, The Atlantic, 26 Oct. 2024

Health systems, hospitals, labor and delivery units, and OB hospitalist programs must also help their clinicians navigate evolving legislation by ensuring a strong understanding of how to interpret the laws and continue practicing their oath to do no harm. —Mark N. Simon, STAT, 19 July 2024

Until the recession, I was raised in a two-income household, with my mom making a majority of the money as a hospitalist, and my dad being a teacher. —R29 Team, refinery29.com, 24 May 2024

According to the inspection report, an interview with the director of patient safety and quality and the assistant director of hospitalists was held on Jan. 18, 2023. —Ed Stannard, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

hospital + -ist entry 1

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Medical Definition

hospitalist

noun

hos·​pi·​tal·​ist ˈhäs-(ˌ)pit-ᵊl-əst 

1

: a physician and especially an internist who specializes in providing and managing the care and treatment of hospitalized patients

… the burden of trying to be all things to all of his patients became unmanageable. In 2006, after Wayne Memorial Hospital hired hospitalists—doctors who specialize in taking care of hospitalized patients—Dr. Dewar finally gave up hospital rounds.

—Gardiner Harris

… some insurers contract with doctors called hospitalists, who take over from a patient's primary physician while the patient is hospitalized.

—Milt Freudenheim

2

: a health-care professional (as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant) who is not a physician but assumes a similar role

—often used in combination

If the hospitalist nurses encounter glitches that may delay the discharge or disagree with a specialist, they can call on the medical practice medical director or associate medical directors for help.

—Case Management Advisor