If you’re considering a career in health care, it’s helpful to learn about the different kinds of health care facilities available. Understanding the services these organizations provide can help you determine which might be the best fit for you. You geraibunga can use this information to determine what role to pursue and where you want to advance your health care career.
In this article, we list 5 types of health care facilities that employ medical specialists, including the main characteristics of each one.
5 types of health care facilities
Here are 5 types of health care facilities you might work in as a health care specialist
1. Hospitals
offer a wide range of medical, surgical, psychiatric and social services to patients. They’re often large organizations comprising departments that specialize in the delivery of different aspects of health care. The area you work in largely determines the nature of your work, which can vary across departments.
For instance, the pace of an emergency department tends to be more variable and fast compared to that of an orthopedic department. Each hospital and department are different, which is important when considering job prospects.
Your education and training can also impact your role in a hospital. Typically, the more training and education you possess, the greater your responsibilities and scope of practice are.
2. Clinics and medical offices
Clinics and medical offices usually specialize in one or more areas of medicine and offer outpatient treatment that doesn’t require an overnight stay for patients. Clinics and medical offices vary in size and staff. These practices are either privately owned or a part of a hospital or a larger health care network.
These affiliations can affect the number of patients and the rules for referrals to other specialists. Some common clinics and medical offices are dental clinics, mental health clinics, community health clinics and physical therapy clinics.
Depending on the type of clinic, there may be multiple levels of clinical care providers. Your education and qualifications determine which roles you can work in, but some common positions are medical assistants, scribes, licensed nursing assistants, registered nurses and physicians.
3. Nursing homes
Nursing homes
are residential facilities that provide 24-hour care for older adults or people with disabilities. These facilities provide generalized or specialized care for patients with physical or mental health needs. Generally, the illnesses and injuries treated in nursing homes aren’t serious enough to require hospitalization but are too severe for home care. Some facilities specialize in different levels of treatment and care.
For example, in some nursing homes, residents live mostly independently and have on-call medical staff for emergencies. Other facilities provide constant care and supervision for people who need help to perform daily activities. The jobs in nursing homes range from custodians and nurses’ aides to positions like nurse managers, registered nurses, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists.
4. Mental health and addiction treatment centers
Mental health treatment facilities offer general psychiatric and psychological care or specialize in one area of psychiatry. These institutions can provide inpatient and outpatient care, depending on the severity of patients’ mental health needs.
Addiction treatment
centers typically handle issues with alcohol and drugs. Professionals can also treat other types of addictions, like gambling, video game and shopping addictions.
Most of these facilities are at the discretion of local or federal funding, which can affect the pay scale and number of staff available. Staff members usually encounter high patient volumes and long working hours, but they often find great satisfaction and meaning in their work.
You may consider working in these centers if you’re passionate about helping others overcome major life challenges. For instance, you can become a social worker or a mental health, addiction or substance abuse counselor.
5. Birth centers
Birth centers are health care facilities that specialize in childbirth. They aim to offer the mother and family a comfortable birth environment. Unlike hospitals, birthing centers don’t usually have staff that readily provide obstetrics or neonatal care.
These services are often present in a labor and delivery ward of a hospital instead. For this reason, birth centers can be a good choice for scheduled pregnancies that don’t have any known complications or risks.
Midwives and doulas commonly work in birthing centers and oversee the labor of the mother. Obstetricians may work in birthing centers and be available as a resource in the event of an unexpected complication. These facilities are good options for those interested in obstetrics in addition to the emotional aspects of pregnancy and childbirth.