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Submitted by
Dr. Burt Bujard
Dr. Burt Bujard is an Internal Medicine physician who started practicing in the Teche Area nearly 50 years ago after graduating from LSU Medical School in New Orleans and performing a residency at Charity Hospital, also in New Orleans. He was the pioneer Hospitalist who began the program at Dauterive Hospital in December 2006 and now serves as its Medical Director. Dr. Bujard and his wife of more than 50 years, Corinne Conrad Bujard, have nine children and 20 grandchildren.
What should I expect on my first night as an inpatient at Dauterive Hospital?
Hospital Medicine is the discipline concerned with the general medical care of hospitalized patients. The Hospitalists here at Dauterive Hospital are physicians whose primary focus is Hospital Medicine.
Hospitalist activities may include patient care, teaching and leadership activities related to hospital care. The Hospitalists at Dauterive Hospital do not have outpatient-based offices.
While hospitalized at Dauterive Hospital, a patient could expect to receive a thorough physical examination at the beginning of their hospital stay. Soon after, other ancillary medical personnel may come to the room to perform tests and ask many questions regarding medical history.
For nutrition concerns, the nursing staff can answer some questions, but may request the dietitian visit with the patient to address any special needs.
It is important to bring a complete, current list of medications that are being taken at home, a list of past medical illnesses, any known drug allergies, family history of medical illnesses, as well as a list of past surgical procedures and the dates of these surgical procedures.
When a patient is moved from one area of the hospital to another, the same questions may be asked to ensure that the information is correct. This is especially so when verifying medications.
This medical information assists the Hospitalists as well as other ancillary medical personnel in determining the diagnosis as well as the treatment plan to be outlined for each individual patient.
It is important for a caregiver and/or a family member to come with the patient to assist in providing the medical information in the event that the patient is unable to communicate appropriately.
Patients may have questions during the stay. Some questions to ask the Hospitalist include:
- What is the Hospitalist's background and/or experience?
- Are specialists going to be consulted to assist in my care?
- How long will the hospital stay last?
- When are visiting hours?
- Who will I see for follow-up care?
- If I am being cared for by a Hospitalist, how will my primary care doctor know I am hospitalized and when I am discharged?
- The last two questions can be answered here.
- The patient's primary care doctor is notified by someone with the Hospitalist program of the admission and discharge. Patients are referred back to their primary care doctor for follow-up once discharged from Dauterive Hospital.
- If the patient has no primary care physician, a referral for follow-up care is made before discharge.
What is this page?
The human body is complex and ever-changing. The medical profession keeps pace with ever-emerging tests, terminology, procedures and programs to help consumers obtain the right care for their individual needs.
"What test should I have at specific stages in life?"
"What can I expect on my first night as an inpatient at Dauterive Hospital?"
"What is the difference between good cholesterol and bad cholesterol? Why should I care?"
Dauterive Hospital now has a place where consumers may turn to get answers to these questions and more, and that's Good to Know.
Visit this page each month for a new column from a physician on our Active Medical Staff as they traverse these questions and other common issues that perplex and often confuse consumers.
Have an idea for a Good to Know column? Submit your questions and suggestions toTrevis.Badeaux@hcahealthcare.com.