Pediatr Ann
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The use of hospitalists in the care of newborns appears to be increasing and may be advantageous for several reasons, including decreased cost, decreased length of stay, increased patient survival, increased availability, and greater experience among hospitalists. Research specific to the use of hospitalists in newborn medicine needs to be done to support this hypothesis. ⋯ It is essential that hospitalists who provide care in nurseries work to smooth the transition to a PCP and not act as a barrier. Relatively speaking, the care provided by hospitalists is most often short-term, and the relationship between infants and their parents with the PCP should begin as soon as possible.
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The role of the pediatric hospitalist has an extremely bright future in many facets of the pediatric healthcare spectrum. The role of the hospitalist in the PICU is only one of many that shows great promise and will likely change our current models of care for children. The greatest challenge will be the education of healthcare providers who may see these changes as erosion in care, rather than as an important asset in providing quality care for children.