departments
Hospitalist
ホスピタリスト（入院専門医） (hoshitarisuto (nyūin senmon-i))
A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in the care of patients during a hospital admission. Unlike patients' regular outpatient doctors, hospitalists are based in the hospital and manage the full course of inpatient care — coordinating tests, medications, specialist consultations, and discharge planning. Patients admitted to a hospital are typically cared for by the on-call hospitalist rather than their own primary care provider. Hospitalists are generally in-network for the hospital but patients should confirm this to avoid surprise billing.
Understanding that your regular doctor may not manage your hospital stay helps patients prepare for hospitalist-led care and ensure a smooth care handoff at discharge.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Hospitalist |
| Japanese (日本語) | ホスピタリスト（入院専門医） |
| Chinese (中文) | 住院科医生 |
| Korean (한국어) | 입원 전문의 |
| Portuguese | Hospitalista |
| Spanish | Hospitalista |
| Filipino | Hospitalist |
| Thai | แพทย์ประจำโรงพยาบาล |
| Vietnamese | Bác sĩ nội trú |
| Romanization | hoshitarisuto (nyūin senmon-i) |
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Browse US healthcare guides →Last reviewed: September 2026