A hospital is a medical facility with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who provide patient treatment and care. Hospitals offer a wide range of services, including emergency room care, surgery, intensive care for patients with life-threatening conditions, and labor and delivery services. Hospitals also provide lab work and imaging. Some hospitals specialize in specific diseases or treatments, such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. Many hospitals are owned by religious or educational groups, while others are owned by for-profit companies that try to make money.
Most hospitals are divided into areas that have different purposes. The emergency room handles sudden illnesses and injuries, while the operating room performs medical procedures. Women who are having a baby go to the labor and delivery unit. A laboratory tests blood and other samples, and a pharmacy prepares medicines. Doctors oversee all of these activities, and nurses follow their instructions. Hospitals also have support staff, such as janitors and security officers.
In the past, many hospitals were run by members of religious orders or by volunteers. In some countries, these groups still focus on hospital ministry. Other hospitals are owned by government agencies. Regardless of ownership, most hospitals are staffed with professional physicians and nurses.
Some patients go to a hospital for diagnosis or treatment and then leave (“outpatients”) without staying overnight; others are admitted for several days, weeks, or even months. Hospitals are usually distinguished from other types of medical facilities by their ability to admit patients, a feature that distinguishes them from clinics, which can only give out advice and prescribe medicine.
A good hospital should have well-trained and experienced staff, including specialist doctors in all areas of medicine. In addition, the hospital should have short waiting times for all operations and procedures. It should also be easily accessible, with a convenient location and transport links, open normal working hours, and have adequate parking (preferably free). It should also have an effective Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) that helps patients understand their care and treatment, and it should encourage and support staff to report any mistakes or shortcomings in the quality of its services.
During a hospital stay, patients should bring medications they take regularly, as well as a list of all their medical history. They should also bring books and magazines to keep themselves occupied, and any advance directives or legal documents that specify who will make medical decisions for them if they are incapacitated. It’s also helpful to bring a pillow and blanket, as well as toiletries and a change of clothes. Patients should also ask their doctors for a discharge plan before leaving the hospital. This should include a schedule of follow-up appointments, as well as instructions for managing their condition at home. If they are not yet discharged, they should ask the doctors for a written care plan detailing further treatment and a prescription for any needed medication. They should also ask the doctors to explain any test results.