Types of Hospitals

There are different types of hospitals and each can provide a different type of care. In this article, we review some of the different types of hospitals:

A General Hospital, also called a community hospital, provides general medical and surgical care.

A Specialty Hospital specializes in treating a particular type of medical problem and accepts only patients with the specific medical need that their facility can treat. Sometimes a specialty hospital can be located within a general hospital and may have its own entrance/admission area and staff. Examples of specialty hospitals are: psychiatric, substance abuse, or cancer treatment.

Rehabilitation Hospitals provide physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation services. Patients much meet certain criteria in order to be admitted for treatment. As with Specialty Hospitals, Rehab Hospitals can be located within a general hospital.

Veterans Hospitals operate under the Department of Veterans Affairs and provide services to veterans.

Trauma Centers are where patients are transported to when there is a 911 call placed and EMTs determines that there is acute trauma.