Do I need a primary care doctor before I can be admitted to a hospital?

Do I need a primary care doctor before I can be admitted to a hospital?

Arthur Shorr (Former COO and SVP of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) gives expert video advice on: What is a 'primary care' doctor?; Why do I need a primary care doctor?; How do I choose a primary care doctor? and more...

Actually, you don't need a primary care doctor to be hospitalized. If you need to be admitted to the hospital, you can be admitted through the emergency department without having a primary care physician. Once you're admitted to the hospital, if you do have a primary care physician. your doctor will be notified of that admission, and if you don't, you'll be assigned a primary care physician to take care of you during your stay in the hospital.