| The attending physician
is the "doctor of record" and in charge of the patient's care during
the current hospitalization. This is the doctor who admitted the
patient to the hospital. The attending physician may be the
patient's primary care physician, that is, the physician seen on a
regular basis in the doctor's office.
Other doctors may also serve as the attending physician. For
example, if a patient is admitted to the hospital for an operation,
it is likely that the surgeon who will perform the operation is the
attending physician during that admission. If a patient comes to the
hospital with an emergency, but doesn't have a primary physician,
the hospital will assign an attending physician based on the
circumstances of the illness or injury. Know who the attending
physician is.
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