Hospitalist Services

The Roper St. Francis Healthcare Hospitalist Service allows our doctors to alert your primary care doctor when you are admitted, to monitor your treatment daily while in the hospital, and stay in close communication with your primary care doctor throughout your stay. When you leave the hospital detailed records of your tests and treatments are sent to your primary care doctor so they stay fully informed.

All of our physicians are board certified in internal medicine or family medicine and specialize in the care of hospitalized patients. Our team of board certified doctors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and are dedicated to quick, efficient and compassionate care of our patients. We visit patients between the hours of 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. and remain in the hospital after hours for admissions and emergencies.

If you have any questions, please contact us at (843) 724-2450 or fax any documents to (843) 724-2455.

1. What is a Hospitalist?
   Roper St. Francis hospitalists are doctors who are board certified in internal medicine or family medicine and specialize in caring for patients in the hospital. We do not have an outpatient practice, but instead we partner with your primary care doctor to provide your care while you are hospitalized.


2. When will I see my regular primary care doctor?
   Your doctor has chosen to partner with the hospitalists to take care of his/her patients when they are sick enough to be admitted to the hospital. During your hospital stay, you will be cared for by the hospitalist team. Our registered nurses will schedule a follow up appointment for you to see your primary care doctor soon after discharge. We will also fax over detailed medical records of your hospital stay so that your primary care doctor can stay well informed.


3. What are the advantages of hospitalist care?
   Because we work exclusively in a hospital setting, your hospitalist is never far away should an emergency arise. We know and work closely with other hospital specialists and departments. We are available to review test results in a timely manner and adjust your treatment plan throughout the day. We are present to provide answers in person whenever possible. During critical and stressful moments, we provide honest and considerate answers and explanations to your questions. We are staffed in all of our hospital locations 24 hours a day, we are able to spend more time talking to you and your family about your care. Because we care for your needs in the hospital, your primary care doctor can be with you in the office with fewer interruptions and delays. Your doctor will be able to devote more time to keeping you and your family healthy.


4. How does the hospitalist know about me?
   Your primary care doctor and hospitalist stay in touch. Your doctor will always be notified of your admission to the hospital, and we will request any necessary medical records as well as forward your hospital records to your primary care upon discharge. We are always available to discuss your status with your primary care doctor.


5. What if I don’t have a primary care doctor?
   You will need to see a doctor for follow-up when you leave the hospital. One of the ways your hospitalist team can help you is by sending you to a primary care doctor in your area after discharge. If you do not have a primary care doctor, find a doctor in our physician directory or call (843) 402-CARE.

We want to work closely with you to provide the hospital care that your patients need. Partnership means that we want to hear from you and your office about patients we admit for you. We encourage a phone call from you about someone you are sending to the hospital and faxed copies of recent office notes, medication lists, allergies and pertinent history (e.g. recent echocardiogram) on your patients that are admitted through the emergency room.

Partnership also means that we are committed to communicating with you. Copies of the history and physician as well as the discharge summary will be faxed to your office. We will also call your office to notify you of a change in code status or any other critical event that occurs during a hospitalization. If there are particular decisions that affect your patients that you would like the opportunity to address, (e.g. plans for discharge with Hospice) we will work with you to accommodate your request.

Who we are
As hospitalists, we are board certified internal medicine and family medicine physicians who work directly for Roper St. Francis Healthcare. We are available in all of our hospital locations to help with all aspects of your patient’s care. We do not have an office practice and will see your patients only during an acute hospitalization.

• We are committed to improving the quality of medical care by quality improvement within our healthcare system.
• We are committed to the practice of evidence-based medicine.
• We are committed to approaching your patient’s bedside with compassion.

Your office practice benefits
Because we cover hospital needs, you can attend to your office practice with fewer interruptions. We cover unassigned call for you by taking those admissions through the emergency department. You can practice more efficiently and enjoy a better lifestyle with fewer night and weekend responsibilities.

We are a work in progress
Healthcare is changing rapidly and there is always room for improvement in how we accomplish our mission. We welcome your suggestions for how we can better serve you and your patients.

Please call our office (843) 724-2450 for further information about signing up for our services. Our program manager will be happy to speak with you.