A hospital is a healthcare facility that manages serious medical cases. It carries out medical research, trains doctors and other health professionals, and is an important component in many healthcare systems around the world. Hospitals play a vital role in delivering Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by complementing and amplifying the effectiveness of other parts of the health system. They are central to well-planned referral networks and to the delivery of essential home-based and community-based services. Hospitals are also critical in ensuring the availability of key medications, and they support local supply chains and distribution networks.
Hospitals vary in size, but they usually have a large number of rooms and various specialized departments that allow them to treat patients with a wide range of conditions. Most hospitals have an emergency department that treats patients with urgent illnesses and injuries. They may also have a rehabilitation unit to help patients recover from surgery and other treatments. Hospitals can have different financial models, from private ownership to government funding or nonprofit status.
Doctors may advise hospitalization for a variety of reasons. Some diseases are so severe that they cannot be treated outside of a hospital, while others are so serious that the patient needs to stay overnight or longer to get the care they need. A doctor may also recommend hospitalization to improve the health of a patient by providing better nutrition, rest and other healthful practices while at the hospital.
During their time at the hospital, patients will be visited by nurses and other healthcare workers. They will check on their condition regularly and administer medication as needed. They will also perform tests like blood and urine samples. They may also recommend a diet or lifestyle changes for the patient to follow once they are released from the hospital.
The various hospital departments are staffed by specialists in their fields. For example, a pathology department will have experts who identify the cause of a patient’s illness. A nursing department will have a director or chief nurse who oversees the hospital’s clinical nursing practice. In addition, there are often other support departments that handle things like information technology, facilities management and dining services.
As a hospital employee, you can grow your expertise over the years through on-the-job training, certification courses and vying for progressive roles. You can choose to specialize in medicine, technology or administration and build a career that suits your interests.
The vast majority of hospital staff are professional physicians, surgeons and nurses. In the past, however, some hospitals were staffed by members of religious orders or volunteers. Today, most hospitals are run by the private sector, but there are still some operated by religious orders and other nonprofit organizations. In some countries, public hospitals receive grants or government funding to provide free or low-cost care for the poor. They are also a major source of training for young medical students and graduates.