Imagine you're Doctor Smith, a busy physician with a waiting room full of patients in your Cranston office. You get a phone call that one of your regular patients has been admitted to Roger Williams Medical Center. What do you do?

If Doctor Smith is part of the new Hospitalist Option Service at Roger Williams, he has no worries. Under this program, physicians know that an internist in the program is caring for their patient, along with a core group dedicated to supporting the internist.

With the Hospitalist Option, patients are cared for by an internist who is responsible for all aspects of the patient's care. The primary care physician is kept informed of all changes in the patient's status. This allows for seamless treatment of patients, guaranteeing they get the best service available. For doctors, there is peace of mind knowing their patients are in good hands.

Rajnish Bansal, M.D.

Sonia Shahid, M.D.

The internists on the Roger Williams Hospitalist Option Team are Rajnish Bansal, M.D., and Sonia Shahid, M.D. Both are familiar with Roger Williams and are well acquainted with many doctors on the hospital staff. Both are trained in several vital procedural skills, including tunneled catheters, central lines, lumbar punctures, and thoracentesis, to name some of the more critical skills.

More hospitals nationally are launching hospitalist programs as a way to ensure that patients get the best care available, while giving physicians the opportunity to realize some balance in their daily worklife. Referring physicians are notified of patient admissions and status within 24 hours of arrival, ensuring a seamless transition for patients. For more information on this service, please call 456-4893.