Dr. Kevin Sowti MD, MBA, SFHM considers himself a Texan, has lived on almost every continent on the globe, and speaks 3 different languages. He now calls West Chester, PA home.
"I've always been an outsider in my life," Dr. Sowti shares. "I'm an immigrant, and I've traveled the world. I made my way to Texas as soon as I could and eventually settled down in Pennsylvania. The older I get, I believe that helping everyone, breaking down barriers in care and reducing human suffering is what I want to do to change the world."
Dr. Sowti has been doing just that at Chester County Hospital since the end of 2007, though it's not where his journey started.
Prior to joining the Chester County Hospital team, Dr. Sowti lived in Iran, Mexico, Uganda, Italy, and Botswana — to name a few. It was only after completing his residency at St. Mary’s Hospital in Connecticut, where he met his wife, that they settled in Pennsylvania.
In his almost 15 years at Chester County Hospital, Dr. Sowti has worn quite a few hats. "I love to learn new things and worked nights as a house doc when we didn't even have a hospitalist program," he says, "I've worked in primary care settings, nursing homes — I've even had a stint in occupational health."
Dr. Sowti also runs the hospitalists group and is the section chief of hospital medicine. But above it all, he works day-in and day-out as a hospitalist, doing his part to change the world.
Wait, What Is a Hospitalist?
As a hospitalist, Dr. Sowti provides care to patients who are hospitalized. If you're not familiar with the term "hospitalist", that's because it's actually a relatively new specialty.
The actual word “hospitalist” only came into use in 1996. While this might feel like a long time ago, compare it to the word "doctor" which we've been using since the 14th Century!
A hospitalist is a physician who takes care of patients in the hospital. When a patient is admitted to Chester County Hospital and doesn’t have a primary care physician that does rounds in the hospital, he/she will be assigned a hospitalist as part of their care plan. The hospitalists work as a team with their advanced practitioners, visiting patients every day to provide coordinated care, answer questions, offer updates, and address any concerns.
Because hospitalists are relatively new — with approximately 44,000 practicing in the US — Dr. Sowti points out that not many people really know what it is.
To him, the role of a hospitalist is the "perfect marriage between science and the humanities". In the sciences, you have to understand medicine. But in the humanities, you have to understand the whole person.
"This is a young specialty," Dr. Sowti explains, meaning that it's constantly evolving and developing. "What attracted me to this was that — since its inception — hospital medicine has been focused on population health and diversity. The opportunity to improve efficiencies and make process improvements was a big draw." Hospitalists are positioned well to help reduce health costs while improving value for other providers and the health system.
"My amazing hospitalist partners and I serve our patients as family, along with our primary care and specialist colleagues," he says.
A Day in the Life of a Hospitalist
In the past 2 years, a lot might have changed in your own job. You may be going into the office less or working entirely remotely. Your workspace might be your kitchen table, and your coworkers might be your children or your pets.
As you might expect, a day in the life of a hospitalist has also changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It’s always a tough gig," Dr. Sowti shares about being a hospitalist, given that they take care of patients when they are at their most vulnerable and sick, "but especially in the last two years, it's been very busy for all of the hospitalists across America."
Pandemic or not, Dr. Sowti’s usual day as a hospitalist is all about his unit and his team. Hospitalists at Chester County Hospital are responsible for a specific unit and work as a part of a team with other advanced practice providers (APPs) like nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
"It's been tough, but all of the hospitalists across the country, especially at Chester County Hospital have done an amazing job and are the unsung heroes of the pandemic, taking the brunt of the punch from COVID," says Dr. Sowti.
Dr. Sowti’s Favorite Part of His Job: You!
When asked about the best part of his job, Dr. Sowti’s answer is immediate: The people.
As a hospitalist, much of his work is connecting with people — his team, his patients, and the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital. He says, "I've made it my job to know everybody."
Hospitalists will see patients multiple times to coordinate and move their care forward. This allows hospitalists to really build a connection with their patients, and it is this relationship-building that is at the core of Dr. Sowti’s personal philosophy of care. "We treat everyone as if they are family," says Dr. Sowti.
.ashx?la=en)
Both Dr. Sowti and the hospitalists group believe in relationship-building, communication skills, meeting patients' needs, and providing seamless care. They work together to improve how they do things every day and want patients to know that at Chester County Hospital, the hospitalists have your back.
"We're here for you. We're always available," says Dr. Sowti. "Not only do we have the power of the hospitalists group here at Chester County Hospital, but also the power of Penn Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania behind us to provide world-class care. We are here, and we are ready to take care of you."
Happy National Doctors' Day to Our Amazing Chester County Hospital Family
While we get many holidays off to celebrate different people, there’s one holiday in particular where the people being celebrated will continue to work as they do every day: March 30, National Doctor's Day.
At Chester County Hospital, we are so lucky to have hospitalists like Dr. Sowti on our team, along with the hundreds of other dedicated doctors who keep our community healthy. While they may not have a chance to take any time for themselves on National Doctor's Day, take a moment to thank the doctors in your life.
"The team I have is so amazing," says Dr. Sowti of the hospitalists at Chester County Hospital. "Not only do they provide an amazing service for our patients and community, but they make us one of the best hospitals in the United States."
Thank You to the Physicians at Chester County Hospital for All You Do!
Contact a Chester County Hospital primary care provider, or visit Chester County Hospital's Physician Directory to find a specialist.
Related Information from Chester County Hospital: