Hospital Medicine Service
651/326-3700

The Hospital Medicine Service is a group of physicians who specialize in providing care for hospitalized patients. Instead of seeing their primary doctor in the hospital, some patients are cared for by doctors called "hospitalists."

At St. Joseph's, hospitalists are available to care for patients in many areas of the hospital:

• Internal medicine hospitalists provide care to patients in medical surgical, telemetry and ICU units
• A family medicine hospitalist provides medical care to chemical dependency and mental health patients
• A neuro-intensivist provides care to neurology patients who are in intensive care

What is the role of a hospitalist?

A hospitalist is a doctor who specializes in caring for hospitalized patients. Hospitalists spend their work day in the hospital and do not run a traditional clinic practice. This allows them to be more available to patients and their families during hospitalization, and allows traditional primary care doctors to be more effective and available to their patients in the clinic setting.

Because their specialty is hospital medicine, a hospitalist's main focus is direct patient care. Additional responsibilities include teaching, research and leadership related to hospital medicine.

Are hospitalists and intensivists at St. Joseph's board certified?

Yes, our hospitalists and neuro-intensivist are board certified for their respective areas of internal medicine, family medicine or critical care with a strong focus in neurology.

Why would I see a hospitalist while I am in the hospital?

A hospitalist may care for you if:

• Your primary care doctor has an agreement with the hospitalist service to manage your care while you're in the hospital.
• Your primary care doctor is not on the St. Joseph's medical staff.
• Your primary care doctor does not round at St. Joseph's.
• Your admitting physician requests a consult from the Hospital Medicine Service.
• You don't have a primary care physician and the Family Medicine Teaching Service is full.
• Your medical needs require the care of a neuro-intensivist in the ICU.

How will the hospitalist know anything about me and who will take care of me after I am discharged?

With your permission, the Hospital Medicine team will contact your primary doctor to notify him or her that you have been admitted and to get information about your health.

The hospitalist will be in close contact with your primary and specialty care doctors to collaborate and ensure that you receive top quality care while you are at St. Joseph's.

At the time of your discharge, a member of the Hospital Medicine team will contact your primary doctor and send your discharge summary to the clinic, identifying your post-hospitalization needs. You will be followed after discharge by your primary doctor.

If you did not have a primary doctor when you were admitted to the hospital, the Hospital Medicine Services team will work closely with you and a social worker to assist you in selecting a primary care doctor to see in follow-up.

What can I expect from the hospitalist?

You can expect the hospitalist to visit you at least once each day and to manage your care timely and efficiently. When necessary, the hospitalist will come back to see you a second time during the day to answer questions or further progress your care. If you or your family wants to speak with the hospitalist, a meeting is easy to arrange.

What are the benefits of having a hospitalist manage my care?

• Well-managed and coordinated care.
• Timely responses to test results and lab values.
• Multiple visits in a day (as necessary) to attend to your medical needs.
• Easier access to the hospitalist for communication.
• Family and interdisciplinary care conferences, as needed.
• Timely communication with your primary doctor (usually upon admission, if there are significant changes in your condition and at discharge).
• A well-coordinated discharge plan with a referral back to your primary doctor.

Who do I call with questions about the hospitalist program?

To reach a physician on duty, use the Hospital Medicine Service referral line at 651/326-3700.

To speak with a Hospital Medicine Service Administrative team member, please call 651/232-3548.

About our Doctors

David Frenz, MD
Dr. Frenz graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 2001 and completed his residency at St. Joseph's Hospital. Dr. Frenz participated in the Rural Physician Associate Program and spent nine months in International Falls, MN. He is board certified in family medicine and is an adjunct instructor in the University of Minnesota's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. At St. Joseph's, Dr. Frenz works primarily with Behavioral Care patients. In addition, he serves as the Medical Director for the non-surgical medical bariatics program at HealthEast Bariatric Care.

Nathan Frink, MD
Dr. Frink received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School. He began his internal medicine residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and completed his residency in 1996 at the University of New Mexico Hospital and Clinics in Albuquerque. Dr. Frink, who is board certified in internal medicine, worked in a clinic in Albuquerque for five years before becoming a hospitalist. He later returned to the Twin Cities to join HealthEast and the Hospitalist program in January 2005.

Tariq M. Janjua, MD
Dr. Janjua received his medical degree from Army Medical College in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He completed his internal medicine residency at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ, in 1994 and went on to complete four fellowships, including a critical care medicine fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester in 2001 and a sleep medicine fellowship at Hennepin County Medical Center. Dr. Janjua is board certified in sleep medicine; internal medicine; pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine; and advanced cardiac, pediatric, burn and trauma life support. For the last three years, his clinical focus has been in Neuro Intensive Care. Dr. Janjua joined HealthEast as the Medical Director of Neuro Intensive Care in January 2006.

Wael Khouli, MD
Dr. Khouli comes to HealthEast from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He was an internist at Gwinn/Sawyer Medical Centers and on staff at Marquette General Hospital. Dr. Khouli received his medical degree from Damascus University Medical School and was an internal medicine intern at Omayad Hospital in Damascus, Syria. In 2000, Dr. Khouli completed his internal medicine residency at St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, which is associated with the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He is board certified in internal medicine.

Joseph McRaith, MD
Dr. McRaith graduated summa cum laude from St. John's University before attending the University of Minnesota Medical School. He completed his internal medicine training at the University of Iowa and entered private practice in 1988. Dr. McRaith has been certified in geriatric medicine since 1994 and has served as a medical director for a geriatric psychiatry unit.

John Rotilie, MD
Dr. Rotilie received his medical degree from Ohio State University and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Minnesota Affiliated Hospitals. Dr. Rotilie has practiced general internal medicine in St. Paul since 1981, actively developing and managing a multi-specialty group practice and serving as a hospice medical director.

James C. Shanks, MD
Dr. Shanks graduated from the University of Minnesota with bachelor's degrees in genetics/cell biology and microbiology. In 2002, he went on to receive his medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School before going to Northwestern University's McGaw Medical Center for his internal medicine internship and residency. Dr. Shanks is board certified in internal medicine, basic life support and advanced cardiac life support. He has done research work with patients who have received liver transplants. His focus is in oncology and he plans to begin his three-year fellowship next year.

Christopher Sullivan, MD
Dr. Sullivan graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA. He completed his internship and residency at Evanston Hospital in Evanston, IL. He also completed an infectious disease fellowship at the University of Minnesota in 1988. Dr. Sullivan is board certified in internal medicine, infectious disease and basic life support. His infectious disease board certification has provided him with extensive experience in infection control and caring for patients with AIDS and tuberculosis - both in St. Paul and New York City.

He was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota and Columbia University before returning to the Twin Cities to practice Internal Medicine at HealthEast. Dr. Sullivan is also presently working on a Master's if Public Health (MPH) at the University of Minnesota.

Lee Toman, MD, FACP
Dr. Toman received his medical degree from the University of North Dakota and completed his internal medicine residency at Blodgett Memorial Medical Center in Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Toman has practiced in St. Paul since 1983. He is board-certified in internal medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians. In 2000, he completed the Advanced Training Program in Quality Improvement at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, UT. He has a special interest in hospital medicine and quality improvement.

HoJung Yoon, MD
Dr. Yoon received his medical degree from the SUNY Downstate Medical School of New York in 1995. Dr. Yoon was a resident in internal medicine at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Yoon is board certified in internal medicine and certified in advanced cardiac life support. He is currently enrolled in the National Library of Medicine fellowship program in health informatics at the University of Minnesota and works as a causal hospitalist for St. Joseph's Hospital. Dr. Yoon is fluent in Korean.

To contact us

To reach a physician on duty, use the Hospital Medicine Service referral line at 651/326-3700.

To speak with a Hospital Medicine Service Administrative team member, please call 651/232-3548.