In the last few years I've spent almost a triple number of days in hospitals (not as a patient). I can tell you from first-hand experience that most patients that are hospitalized —except in the ICU— do not need multiple doctor visits per single day. Maybe they need a couple different specialties, but certainly they do not need multiple doctors of the same specialty in the same day or more than a few specialties.
As has been pointed out in many submissions on HN about USA's medical practices, the main reason you get many visits is to inflate your bill. I think someone even wrote that he was charged $600 per 1-minute visit during his stay in the hospital.
>> Friend's mother was recently in hospital, multiple doctors thru a single day, each one had to completely relearn what was going on.
> What's the alternative? 24 hour shifts for the doctor and the new doctor each day needs to relearn everything?
This is from your response:
> Is there really a need for 24 hour doctor visits most of the time?
The exact situation described is hospitalization. Pointing out that most treatment may not be on a 24h basis is not relevant here.