Franklin Memorial's Hospitalist Service began in 2001. Since then, the program has grown to include a highly-skilled team of physicians and one nurse practitioner. The team provides 24-hour, seven days-a-week care.

Hospitalists care for patients during a hospital stay. Their patients include those who are admitted without a physician, those whose physician lives in an outlying area, or patients whose physician has an office-based practice only. Hospitalists take care of patients from admission through discharge. Following discharge patients are returned to the care of their primary care physician.
 
Physicians who are hospitalists work a seven-day shift to provide continuity of care to patients who typically are in the hospital from two to five days.

Hospitalists partner with the patient’s primary care physician to provide care and allow the primary care physician to focus on patients in the office. The hospitalist staff remains in contact with each patient’s primary-care physician, sending daily updates, and asking for information when needed. Some physicians who use the program may still visit their patients and get involved with their care if sensitive issues arise.