After 2O years of successful experimentation, Hospital Medicine has now become a part of the established medical landscape. While core competences in medicine can be attained through innumerable books, journals, etc., there is a dearth for literature aimed at enhancing Hospital Medicine practitioners' capacity to perform their day-to-day roles effectively. This lacuna, and the demand to fill it, has led us to publish an abridged version of this handbook. This indispensable resource is loaded with many not-to-be missed tricks of the trade, allowing practitioners to optimize their everyday performance. Hospital Medicine is addressed from many angles, including quality of patient care, safety, cost, efficiency, communication, leadership roles of hospitalists, and healthcare economics. Also featured are critical issues such as delivering a death message, determining brain death, withdrawing life support, discharging un-dischargeable, hospice care, patients leaving against medical advice, etc. The authors have gone to great effort to put together these useful materials in a handy book format that can be slipped into the pocket of a white coat. This handbook is intended for Hospitalists, Internists, Family Practitioners, Internal/Family Medicine Residents, Medical Students, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Case Management workers and Hospital Administrative staff.
