Hospitalists work exclusively in the hospital and keep a close eye on patients, making sure they are receiving the correct diagnostic workup, appropriate therapeutic treatments and compassionate medical care. Hospitalists assist patients through their recovery process by following up on tests and adjusting treatment plans as necessary throughout the day. In case of an emergency, the hospitalist is nearby.

The focused practice of hospitalist medicine is the fastest growing field in the history of medicine. Hospitalists have been instrumental in improving patient safety and increasing efficiency and quality of care by staying up-to-date on all the newest innovations and treatments, and enabling busy primary care physicians to focus on their outpatient medical practice.

Hospitalists are familiar with every other specialty in the hospital, are hospital based and are particularly good at making sure "things get done." They follow up quickly on test results and communicate the results and plans of care to patients, family members (with proper permission), nurses and other practioners involved in a patient's care. As a result, care is tightly coordinated with the goal that the patient gets the best possible medical attention.