Inpatient Healthcare Team
Your physicians and nurses will work together to provide direct medical care for you during your stay at the Medical Center. Depending on your condition and your length of stay with us, you may encounter a number of healthcare providers who will attend to your needs. Here is a list of different types of providers you may meet while you are a patient at the Medical Center.
| Hospitalist Intensivists & Specialists Interns & Residents Nursing Staff |
Palliative Care Care Management Patient Liaison Other Healthcare Professionals |
Hospitalist
The hospitalist program was developed at Milford Regional several years ago to provide the best possible care for our patients during their hospitalization. A hospitalist is an internal medicine physician who is specially trained to provide medical care to patients from admission to discharge from the hospital. Since primary care physicians see patients in their office during the day, they may not be readily available to evaluate patients admitted to the hospital. There is always a hospitalist in the hospital 24 hours a day to provide an evaluation, urgently, if needed.
A hospitalist works on the patient floors of the hospital so he or she is available to attend to your medical needs and to answer questions. He or she will coordinate your care which may include conducting examinations, making diagnoses, ordering tests or treatments, consulting specialists, prescribing medication and developing a care plan for when you are discharged from the hospital. The hospitalist will communicate with your primary care physician to obtain your medical history, continually update your progress and to discuss discharge plans. The hospitalist will provide a detailed report to your primary care physician about your stay at the hospital. After you return home, your primary care physician will continue your care. Read more about our hospitalist program.
Intensivists & Specialists
If you are admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, you will be taken care of by an intensivist. Intensivists are physicians who are specially trained to care for critically ill patients. If you require specialized care during your hospitalization, a specialist will be asked to participate in your care. Specialists are doctors who provide recommendations specific to their area of expertise. Read more about our intensivists.
Interns & Residents
As a major teaching affiliate of UMass Memorial Healthcare, our hospitalists and other physicians are often assisted by interns and residents who are licensed physicians at various levels of residency training. Third and fourth year medical students from the University of Massachusetts Medical School may also work with the medical staff.
Nursing Staff
We are proud of the high quality nursing care that we provide. Your nurse will work with you, your physicians and other healthcare professionals to coordinate other aspects of your treatment. We invite family members to become involved in planning this care and in arranging for services that you may need when you leave the Medical Center.
Palliative Care
Palliative Care is a specialized treatment option that offers advanced pain and symptom management to patients with chronic, progressive illness such as heart disease, lung disease, dementia or cancer, regardless of prognosis. Patients can receive treatment for their chronic illness and palliative care for their symptoms at the same time.
During a patient’s hospital stay, our palliative care specialists will make treatment recommendations after evaluating his/her pain and other symptoms. They will help families establish clear goals for treatment and supporting them through difficult medical decisions. The palliative care team will also enhance coordination of care and communication between doctors, nurses, counselors and other healthcare providers. Read more about our palliative care services.
Care Management
Clinical social workers are assigned to each patient floor to provide counseling and support for patients and their families, and to provide help with problems associated with illness and hospitalization. Registered nurses, called case managers, are also assigned to each patient floor to help with needed services at home, rehabilitation or nursing home placement.
Patient Liaison
Our patient liaison assists patients and their families through difficult times and circumstances when a loved one is admitted to the Medical Center. If your expectations are not met for any reason during your stay with us, we want to hear from you. To reach the patient liaison, please call extension 2648.
Other Healthcare Professionals
Depending upon the reason for your stay with us, there are many other healthcare professionals you may encounter during your time at Milford Regional in areas such as laboratory, pharmacy, respiratory, rehabilitation, diagnostic imaging and more. All of our staff meets stringent requirements to ensure you receive the highest standards of care.