In 1996 Dr. Bob Wachter coined the term "hospitalist" in the New England Journal of Medicine. Subsequently, the National Association of Inpatient Physicians ( NAIP ) was founded, followed by the commencement of NAIPs first annual meeting in 1998. NAIP changed its name to the Society of Hospital Medicine ( SHM ) in 2003. SHM continues to be the only medical society devoted entirely to hospitalists and the hospital medicine movement.A physician who specializes in the practice of hospital medicine. Following medical school, hospitalists typically undergo residency training in general internal medicine, general pediatrics, or family practice, but may also receive training in other medical disciplines.Read more about Hospitalists.Definition of Hospital Medicine A medical specialty dedicated to the delivery of comprehensive medical care to hospitalized patients.