Hospitals
A hospital is an institution that is created to provide health care to individuals. They are usually funded publicly. There are four different types of hospitals that exist to serve the health needs of the public. These different hospital types are called general hospitals, specialized hospitals, teaching hospitals and cliniccal hospitals.
• A general hospital is the most common type of hospital for an individual to seek medical treatment at. General hospitals are not only set up treat and work with specific diseases and injuries, they also have an emergency departments that are set up for handling urgent health crisis. Patients with a variety of ailments are treated at general hospitals. General hospitals typically have a resident staff and are able to care a for a large variety of medical treatments ranging from maternity care to psychiatric care. They also offer surgery and ambulance services. General hospitals typically have different wings including a maternity ward and critical care unit. General hospitals are required to treat patients in cases if emergencies regardless of whether or not they have medical insurance.
• There are many different types of specialized hospitals that exist to care for people with specific medical problems. Although there are many general hospitals that offer similar services, specialized hospitals offer more direct treatment for various illnesses and individuals. There are specialized hospitals to treat children, cancer, trauma, the elderly, psychiatric patients, and patients facing rehabilitation. Because of the possible long-term treatment that individual face when they enter one of these specialized hospitals, they are often set up to accommodate not only the individual but their families as well. Due to the nature of the treatment offered, individuals may sometimes live in these specialized hospitals for long periods of time.
• Teaching hospitals exist to give clinical education and training to individuals who are studying to
work in the medical profession. These hospitals also offer medical care to patients. Teaching hospitals are sometimes owned by medical schools and are usually staffed with several residents as well as experienced doctors, surgeons and nurses. Teaching hospitals commonly offer treatment to low-income patients who have little or no health insurance.
• Clinical hospitals, or clinics, are usually smaller than hospitals and generally do not offer inpatient services. Many clinics will have a group of physicians available to the public and offer a range of services from OBGYN to pediatric care. Clinics can actually be like doctor’s offices.
No matter what type of medical treatment that an individual needs, a hospital or clinic will be able to help them.
