Fairview Southdale Hospital is committed to taking exceptional care of patients. It’s because of this that our care team includes hospitalists who help ensure that patient and family needs are met around the clock.

Who is a hospitalist?
A hospitalist is a primary care doctor who specializes in caring for patients in the hospital: he or she does not see patients in a clinic. Because of this, hospitalists have more experience in caring for complex medical conditions. Their extensive expertise helps them to recognize and diagnose unusual disorders, anticipate problems and rapidly respond to crises or changes in a patient’s condition. In addition to their hospital care, some hospitalists enjoy working with doctors-in-training, conducting research or helping to administrate care.

Meet our hospitalists
At Fairview Southdale Hospital, our hospitalists are board-certified internal medicine doctors. They care for patients who are 18 years or older and work with all members of the patient care team to help improve the quality and effectiveness of care.

Our hospitalist staff includes 15 doctors. Learn more about them.

How hospitalists help patients
• A hospitalist is always at the hospital so that she or he can respond quickly to changes in a patient’s condition and answer questions immediately
• Hospitalist know and work consistently with all of the members of the patient care team that includes physician specialists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses and others
• A hospitalist coordinates care with all members of the care team to ensure patients receive the best care at all times.

How do hospitalists work with a patient’s primary care doctor?
Our hospitalist works with the patient’s primary doctor on admission to and discharge from the hospital, and keeps him or her updated on the patient’s status. When the patient goes home from the hospital, the hospitalist discusses necessary treatments, testing, follow up appointments and medication prescriptions with the primary doctor.

Care after a patient leaves the hospital
When patients go home from the hospital, his or her primary doctor resumes care and answers questions. Our hospitalists will send a summary of what occurred during the patient’s hospital stay to the primary doctor within 24 hours and make recommendations for follow-up appointments and testing when appropriate. 

Want to know more?
For more information or to talk with someone about our hospitalists, contact:

RaChelle Helmbrecht, Admissions Coordinator
6401 France Ave S, Suite W480
Edina, MN 55435
952-924-8463