Seeing an Internal Medicine Physician or Hospitalist

During your hospital stay, you may see an internal medicine physician or a hospitalist.

What to expect

Most patients are admitted to the General Internal Medicine unit from the Emergency Department. After you arrive, you will be seen by an internal medicine specialist or hospitalist. Your physician will talk with you about your symptoms and medical history, and may recommend tests to help diagnose your condition.

Both internal medicine physicians and hospitalists have specialized training and knowledge about a wide range of medical conditions. This helps them provide comprehensive care for patients with multiple health conditions that affect different parts of the body.

Internal medicine physicians and hospitalists will work with other medical specialists — and with you — to develop a care plan specific to your needs.

Your hospital stay

When you are admitted, you will receive a wristband that you must wear at all times. The information on the wristband helps confirm your identity before any assessments, treatments or tests take place. Please review the information carefully, and if you notice any errors or if your wristband falls off, notify a member of the care team immediately.

All patients admitted to our department are tested for respiratory illness and antibiotic-resistant bugs (pathogens). You may be temporarily placed in a private room until we get your test results. If your test results are negative, you may be moved to a semi-private room or a four-bed ward based on the room type you selected during admission.

Physicians will see every patient during daily rounds on the unit. They will check your progress, review test results and adjust your treatment plan if needed. This is a good opportunity for you to speak with members of your care team about any concerns or questions you have about your care.

You will also have a nurse assigned to your care during your hospital stay. Depending on your situation, you may also see other care team members, such as physiotherapists, social workers and dietitians. Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so you may see medical students, residents or other learners as part of your care. Learners work under the supervision of other members of our dedicated health-care team who work together to provide you with comprehensive care.

If you experience any new symptoms while in the hospital, please let your nurse or another member of the care team know immediately so that they can provide appropriate care.

Getting ready to leave the hospital

Planning your discharge begins shortly after you are admitted to the hospital. This helps ensure a smooth transition home. Your care team will work with you to determine when you are ready to leave the hospital and whether you will need additional support after you leave. A coordinator may meet with you before you are discharged or contact you by phone once you are home.

On the day of your discharge, your physician or nurse will go over your discharge papers and prescriptions with you. The pharmacist may also review your medications with you and answer any questions you have.

We encourage you to plan your ride home. Please speak with your care team if you have questions or concerns about transportation.

General Internal Medicine Clinic

You may also see a general internal medicine physician in our General Internal Medicine Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital, where we provide care for patients with complex medical illnesses and diseases that do not require surgery. Our goal is to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.

We diagnose, prevent and treat a wide range of medical conditions.

You may be referred to this clinic from the Emergency Department if you need urgent assessment by a general internal medicine physician but do not need to be hospitalized. You may also be referred to the General Internal Medicine Clinic for follow-up after leaving the hospital.

How to access our services

In most cases, you will see a hospitalist or general internal medicine physician when you are admitted to the hospital. You may also be referred to the General Internal Medicine Clinic by an emergency physician, a general internal medicine physician or another physician.