Patient care teams

Your healthcare team: Working together to make you well
Every doctor, nurse, therapist and support staff member at Geisinger is dedicated to delivering the outstanding, advanced healthcare you and every patient have a right to expect. But we pledge to go beyond that.

From how our staff members treat you, the meals we deliver, the way we explain what is happening to you and what to expect next — everything we do is aimed at making your stay with us as pleasant and positive as possible. Thank you for choosing Geisinger for your healthcare needs.

Here are some of the professionals who make up your Geisinger care team.

Hospitalists
Hospitalists are physicians who oversee your care from the time you arrive in the hospital until you are discharged to your primary care physician. Because they are available around the clock, hospitalists:

• Visit with patients and their families several times a day
• Collaborate closely with the nursing staff and other departments involved in your care
• Provide quick attention to any medical issue that may arise
• Communicate with your primary care physician, providing frequent written updates throughout your stay and a full summary when you are discharged

Nurse managers
A nurse manager is the person who manages the way you are cared for by the nursing and ancillary staff. These managers have 24-hour-a-day responsibility for all aspects of patient care provided on the unit.

Nursing team
A team of talented and dedicated nursing personnel is directly responsible for providing you with personalized care. Each nursing team works with an assigned number of patients. The team includes an advanced practice nurse, a registered nurse and a patient care assistant, as well as a unit secretary.

Residents and fellows
Geisinger is a teaching institution. That means that our healthcare professionals keep up on the latest techniques and most recent knowledge about the entire spectrum of healthcare. A resident is a physician who has recently finished medical school and is training in a specific specialty. A fellow is a physician who completed medical school and a residency and is getting advanced training in a specialty area, such as orthopaedics, infectious diseases, surgery or many others.

Physician assistants
Physician assistants are advanced practitioners who examine, diagnose and treat patients. They also take medical histories, prescribe medication and refer patients to specialists, as needed. Physician assistants work under the supervision of a physician in primary care or in medical specialties.

Nutrition & Foodservice
The Foodservice and clinical nutrition teams in a hospital have a challenging mission: To make tasty, nutritious meals while balancing any restrictions you may have during your stay. You may not always feel up to eating, but it's important to follow the dietary plan designed for you. You need nutrition to regain your strength. As tempting as it is to have family members bring you food from home, talk to the nurse from your healthcare team first. If you are on a special diet, consuming foods outside of your meal selections could interfere with your treatment plan — or even adversely interact with medications.

Our Foodservice host or hostess will visit you to take your menu selections. He or she can answer any questions you have about meal service and what items are available. Visitors may also order from Foodservice staff and dine with you in your room. To arrange this service, ask your nurse to contact the host or hostess.

A staff member will come to your room, take your order and collect payment for the visitor's meal. If this service is not available at your hospital location, cafeterias and food kiosks are available.