Introduction to Hospital

Administration
HISTORY , EVOLUTION , & CLASSIFICATION OF HOSPITALS

Definition of Hospital
A Hospital is an integral part of a Social and Medical organisation, the function of which is to provide for
the population complete health care, both curative and preventive, and whose outpatient services
reach out to the family and its home environment; the hospital is also a centre for the training of health
workers and biosocial research.
WHO - 1959

The societys health is influenced by the accessibility, affordability, quality, availability and utilisation of
health services.

Aspects of good healthcare system

Acceptable standard
Affordable
Available to all classes of society
Coverage from womb-to-tomb

Introduction to Health Concepts

Health defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the
absence of disease

A state of optimal physical, mental and social adaptation to ones environment. For example, an
individual with a chronic disease condition, e.g. chronic heart disease can never return to complete
wellbeing, but can adjust and adopt quite adequately.
Many question the difference that a purely hospital-based, disease-oriented medical care approach
alone can make to mortality and morbidity

Introduction to Health Concepts

Outcome of community development programmes in India during the successive five-year plans have
indicated that health cannot be isolated from other socioeconomic factors in a developmental
process. Social, cultural and psychological factors influence health and disease and are responsible for
the response of individuals, families and communities towards measures for promotion and restoration
of health.

Environmental Health Services :

Environmental health services are considered as a component of public health, with overlaps. It
covers the following:
1. Water supply
2. Pollution control
3. Sewage disposal
4. Food hygiene
5. Ecology and environmental pollution.

Introduction to Health Conepts

Public Health Services :
Public health services are concerned with the following.
1. Control of communicable diseases
2. Sanitation
3. Maternal and child health
4. Public health education
5. Vital statistics
6. Health planning
7. Occupational health and reduction of health hazards.

Introduction to Health Concepts

Personal health services :

They are the services provided by hospitals, health centres and nursing homes, apart
from privately practising physicians.
The care provided has been traditionally classified into:
i. promotion of health,
ii. prevention of disease,
iii. early diagnosis and treatment, and
iv. rehabilitation.

Introduction to Health Concepts

Levels of Prevention :
1. Primary (E.g Immunization, Nutrients, Exercise etc.)
2. Secondary (Diagnostic & Screening)
3. Tertiary (Therapeutic & Rehabilitative)

Primary , Secondary & Tertiary Care

Primary Care : WHO defined primary health care as essential health care based on practical,
scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology made universally accessible
to individuals and families. It is the first level of contact of individuals, the family and the
community....and constitutes the first element of a continuing health process.
Family Physicians, Hospital based ambulatory outpatient services besides health workers &
Multipurpose workers

Introduction to Health Concepts

Secondary Care : Intermediate level of care, peripheral hospitals & District hospitals
Tertiary Care : Highly specialized care in specialist hospitals and specialty services provided in super
specialty centers & Research Centers.

Rehabilitation :
WHO defines rehabilitation as the combined and coordinated use of medical, social, educational
and vocational measures for training or retraining the individual to the highest possible level of
functional ability
Rehabilitation medicine involves disciplines such as physical medicine, occupational therapy, speech
therapy, education, vocational guidance.

Introduction to Health Concepts

Health Teams : A joint function of many professional groups of workers like physicians, nurses,
paramedical workers, health educators, health visitors, public health engineers and many others
who share a common, unifying goal.
The health care team which consists of all those who are involved in improving health in a
community setting, without necessarily being in active contact with patients.

The patient care team which comprises any group of professionals and semi professionals in a
hospital setting who jointly provide service that brings them into direct contact with the patient.