Hospital Medicine in Austin, Minnesota

We are dedicated to providing exceptional care and a supportive environment for patients and their loved ones in Austin, Minnesota. It takes a team to ensure your treatment and recovery are smooth and efficient.

During your hospital stay, you'll be cared for by hospitalists whose primary focus is to attend to all of your medical needs.

Hospitalists

Hospital medicine physicians, also known as hospitalists, are specially trained to treat common and complex medical conditions and care for hospitalized patients. You may see one or several hospitalists during your hospital stay.

A hospitalist is:

• Available around the clock
• The main contact between you and your specialty or primary care providers while you are hospitalized
• Concerned with your well-being and quality of care
• Part of your healthcare team caring for you while hospitalized

Your healthcare team

During your hospital stay, you will have a team of healthcare professionals who are committed to providing you with high-quality care.

Your team may include:

• Physicians
• Physician assistants
• Nurse practitioners
• Nurses and case managers
• Lab and radiology technologists
• Technicians
• Therapists
• Patient transporters
• Social workers
• Dietitians

Your role in care

As a member of your healthcare team, you play an important role in your care. Research shows that patients who are involved in their healthcare decisions have better outcomes. It’s important that you stay informed, ask questions and speak up if you have any concerns.

To help prevent healthcare errors:

• Speak up if you have questions or concerns. If you still do not understand, ask again. It is your body, and you have a right to know
• Pay attention to the care you receive. Always make sure you are getting the right treatments and medications by the right healthcare professionals. Do not assume anything
• Educate yourself about your illness. Learn about the medical tests you receive and your treatment plan
• Ask a trusted family member or friend to be your adviser or supporter
• Know what medicines you take and why you take them
• Participate in all decisions about your treatment. You are the center of the healthcare team

Intentional rounding

Intentional rounds are regularly scheduled visits by hospital staff to your room to help ensure your needs are met. A member of your care team will stop by your room regularly throughout the day and night to help you to the bathroom or provide a change in position or pain medication, if appropriate. Other needs will be addressed by using the nurse call light in between rounding times.

Infection prevention

Proper hand hygiene is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs. Those caring for you and your visitors are to have clean hands.

Respiratory infections can be easily spread to others. Remember to cover your cough or sneeze and encourage your visitors to do the same. If you have certain kinds of infectious diseases, you will notice your caregivers wearing a gown and gloves while caring for you.

You also may be restricted to your room, and your visitors will need to check with the nurse for instructions before entering. Check with your care team if you have any questions about infection prevention or isolation precautions.

Personal items

Items such as dentures, eyeglasses, hearing aids and prosthetics require special care. Store them in protective containers in a safe place, such as on your bedside table. Never wrap dentures or eyeglasses in a napkin or tissue as they can easily be thrown away. Do not leave personal items on the meal tray or in your bed.

We are not responsible for any valuables or personal belongings brought into the hospital, including cell phones. We recommend sending these items home with a friend or family member while staying in the hospital.

Patient and visitor information

Please review the Patients & Visitors page for more information including parking, directions, visiting hours, hospital amenities and accessibility to services.

Take a video tour of the Medical/Surgical Inpatient Care Unit and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to learn more.

Hospital medicine FAQ

What are the benefits of being cared for by a hospitalist?

Hospitalists are an important part of your care team because the hospital, or inpatient, setting often creates different patient-care situations than those in the clinic, or outpatient, setting. Working every day within the fast-paced, often intense, hospital environment, hospitalists gain unique expertise and experience that benefits patients when they are in the hospital.

How does the hospitalist collaborate with my provider?

Hospitalists partner with your primary care providers to care for you should you require hospitalization, and work to ensure a smooth transfer of care between inpatient and outpatient settings. Often, a hospitalist will meet with you before a surgery, including preoperative evaluations, and later during follow-up postoperative care.

Hospitalists work closely with surgeons and other specialty and subspecialty physicians. They also coordinate communication with referring providers to assure continuity of care before, during and after your hospital stay. In some cases, hospitalists may work with patients who are preparing to move from the hospital to a nursing home or an assisted-care facility, to help smooth the transition from one care environment to another.