Editorial

Ode to the Hospitalist

Authors: Jack P. Chen, MD, FACC, FSCAI, FCCP

Abstract

As this nation’s leading cause of death, cardiovascular disease is a major issue confronting emergency room physicians, hospitalists, as well as cardiologists. The recent paradigm of ambulatory evaluation with chest pain clinics has received much enthusiasm. Nonetheless, misdiagnosed myocardial infarctions constitute the highest paid malpractice judgment against emergency physicians in this country.1As a result, patients are frequently admitted to the hospitalists’ service (in those hospitals fortunate enough to have them), for further evaluation and treatment.

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