Final answer:
Dr. Jones is acting as the admitting physician for Sally Smith, responsible for her initial assessment, determination of care level, and ordering of initial tests or treatments upon her hospitalization.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dr. Jones's role in Sally Smith's hospitalization is that of an admitting physician. This is indicated by Dr. Jones's actions of completing a comprehensive history and examination of the patient, and determining that the medical decision making is of moderate complexity. As an admitting physician, Dr. Jones is responsible for the initial assessment of the patient, deciding the level of care that the patient requires, ordering any initial tests or treatments, and documenting the medical plan.
Admitting physicians play a pivotal role in inpatient care as they set the course of the hospital stay. This role involves diagnoses, deciding on the necessary level of care, and determining whether specialty consultations or procedures are needed. Often, but not always, the primary care physician or a hospitalist will perform the duties of an admitting physician when a patient enters the hospital.
Therefore, it is clear that among the options provided, Dr. Jones is acting as the admitting physician (3), and not as the primary care physician, consulting physician, or surgeon. It is important to note that the admitting physician can sometimes also be the primary care physician, but the term specifically refers to the role played in the context of hospital admission.