"Who's My Quarterback?"...Navigating In-patient Care

My recent surgeries and extended stays in the hospital were an eye opener into our in-patient healthcare system. Despite the doctor missing my fractured femur, I feel I otherwise got good medical care. But, I sometimes also felt confused and overwhelmed. There was a team of physicians who saw me during my admissions: Hospitalists, (5 different ones) Surgeon, and surgical residents Oncologist/Hematologist Infectious Disease specialists, (5 different ones) The hospital is a large medical center and teaching hospital, so I expected there to be residents and medical students. What I didn't expect was the number of different attendings that would be involved in my care, and my resulting confusion...I needed a medical point person. With so many physicians coming to see me every day, I started to ask them each, �Who's my quarterback?" Interestingly, there wasn't one answer. Most said it was the hospitalist, b...