What is hospitals?

There are many kinds of hospitals, large and small. Some are run by nonprofit organizations or charities. Some are public hospitals, which means they are funded by taxes. And some are run by corporations, whose investors get some of the profit.

Teaching hospitals

Hospitals that operate in partnership with medical schools are called teaching hospitals. In a teaching hospital, medical students, supervised by experienced doctors, improve their skills on patients, which some people might not like. But these hospitals also tend to have the newest treatments and equipment. And patients often benefit from the medical students, residents, and supervising doctors all working together to think about the best care.

Research hospitals

Some hospitals call themselves research hospitals. This means that many of the doctors who work there do scientific research in their fields of specialty and may even conduct clinical trials. Patients at this kind of hospital are often treated by doctors who are experts in their fields.

Specialized hospitals

A hospital may specialize in one type of patient. There are children's hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, cancer centers, and hospitals for the elderly, for example.

A trauma center is a hospital that is equipped to handle extremely serious types of injuries.