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The growth of the hospitalist movement has been nothing short of remarkable. Less than a decade ago, healthcare leaders wondered who these doctors were, questioned their staying power, and disputed their worth. Today, there is no doubt that hospitalists are here to stay, providing value on many levels and driving hospitals who have embraced this model toward better, more patient-focused care. Hospitals around the country are welcoming hospitalists for the simple reason that having a hospitalist program--or hospitalists on staff--simply makes good sense. Patients, their families, primary care physicians (PCP), hospital staff, payers, and the facility as a whole benefit from this more efficient and effective approach to inpatient medicine.