Odette A. Thomas, D.O.

As a hospitalist, I see adults who are admitted to NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island with a variety of conditions, such as infectious and gastrointestinal disorders and conditions of the heart, lung, and kidney. I oversee patients’ treatment from admission to hospital discharge. I also perform medical consultations and preoperative assessments at the request of subspecialty services.

When I was a little girl growing up in Jamaica, I decided I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my pediatrician. Her care, demeanor, and bedside manner were something to emulate. I also spent time with my uncle who was a general practitioner, and this stoked my desire to help people who were ill. His passion and love for the art of medicine were evident and contagious when he discussed patient cases. His ability to help patients with varying disease processes steered me toward internal medicine.

Being admitted to the hospital can be scary and debilitating for patients. I aim to ease their fears by providing care that is kind, empathic, and the most up to date. My treatment philosophy is simply this: do onto others as you would have them do unto you. I treat my patients and their families as I would want my loved ones to be cared for, with courtesy and respect. I am dedicated to actively listening and explaining complicated medical terms in ways patients understand. I also update their primary care doctors to help ensure a smooth transition of care when patients are ready to leave the hospital.

In addition to directly caring for patients, I am a medical unit director. I lead the daily interdisciplinary rounds on my hospital floor and coordinate the care and patient flow from admission to discharge. I also identify and manage potential problems, intervene in challenging cases, and meet with hospital administration to help improve patient care, outcomes, and satisfaction.

I am also involved with graduate medical school education. I spend time educating and making rounds with medical students and residents. I am proud to have been awarded the 2023 Exceptionalism in Hospital Medicine Award at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island.