Hospital Internal Medicine

People who are hospitalized benefit from having their care coordinated by doctors and advance practice providers who care only for people admitted to a hospital (hospitalists). These medical professionals manage a wide range of medical needs, including those of people with complex and serious conditions. Hospitalists are experts in evaluating medical risks before and after surgery, enhancing the continuity of care, and facilitating communication between patients, their families and the rest of the care team.

If you are at one of Mayo Clinic's hospitals on its campuses in Phoenix, Arizona, Jacksonville, Florida, or Rochester, Minnesota, you may be cared for by hospitalists. The clinic's Division of Hospital Internal Medicine is one of the largest groups of hospitalists in the United States, with about 200 doctors and advance practice providers. They work closely with nurses, social workers, physical therapists and other members of your care team to provide thoughtful, safe, collaborative and effective medical care.

People who are in a hospital usually need a high level of care and often have multiple medical problems. For example, someone who is admitted for a broken bone or a hip replacement may need care for high blood pressure or an infection as well. Mayo Clinic hospitalists work closely with experts in several medical and surgical specialties, including cardiovascular medicine, integrative medicine, nephrology, orthopedic surgery, palliative medicine, hospice care, pulmonary medicine and oncology.

Each Mayo Clinic hospital has hospitalists on duty every day, all day. They provide 24-hour inpatient medical consultation service and are often the first to respond to emergency pages. If you enter the hospital through the Emergency Department or other hospitals, hospitalists take on the role of coordinating your care. Members of the Division of Hospital Internal Medicine staff are part of a larger, multispecialty Mayo Clinic team that includes outpatient physicians, some of whom may also work in the hospital. Collectively, the team's goal is to combine the latest evidence-based medicine with thoughtful consideration of each person's needs to foster wellness and healing.

Hospitalists also supervise and teach students, residents, fellows and nurse practitioners. Many hospitalists have completed fellowships or advanced training and contribute to ongoing education and research at Mayo Clinic.

Advanced Care at Home

Advanced Care at Home at Mayo Clinic is an innovative hospital-at-home program offering acute-level, inpatient-quality care to people in the comfort of their own homes. Health and safety are at the center of our care. The care combines both virtual and in-home services to meet your needs.

The hospital-at-home option is available to people with certain conditions and health statuses at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona. Ask your Mayo Clinic hospital nurse whether Advanced Care at Home might be an option for you.

Hospitalist-orthopedic team

The hospitalist-orthopedic team at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota offers streamlined surgical and medical care for people undergoing orthopedic surgery. This assures continuity of medical care throughout their surgical stay. This collaboration creates a tightly integrated, multispecialty partnership in perioperative care.

Your care is coordinated by the same inpatient internist throughout your hospital stay. Your care begins with an initial preoperative evaluation, continues through immediate postoperative evaluation, and may include daily visits during hospitalization and postoperative outpatient medical follow-up, as needed.

Charter House short-term stay program

Charter House is a continuing care retirement community affiliated with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. It's home to more than 400 people. Hospitalists provide transitional skilled nursing care at Charter House for people who no longer require acute inpatient care, for up to six weeks. The short-term stay program is often appropriate for people who are:

• Recovering from orthopedic surgery
• Exhibiting frailty
• Undergoing hemodialysis while they await access to this treatment in their local community