A hospital is an institution that provides medical services for a community. The doctors, nurses, and other personnel of a hospital work to restore health to sick and injured people. They also try to prevent disease and maintain health in the community. Some hospitals serve as centers for medical education and research. 2. Most hospitals are short-term hospitals in which the majority of patients stay less than 30 days. Patients spend an average of 4 to 8 days in a short-term hospital. In long term hospitals, most patients stay more than 30 days. People having their tonsils removed would go to a short-term hospital. Those with severe mental illnesses may stay in a long-term institution because of the time needed to treat their condition. 3. A general hospital provides services for most people and illnesses. A special hospital cares for certain people or certain illnesses. For example, pediatric hospitals treat only children. Rehabilitation hospitals provide services to help people adjust to mental and physical disabilities. 4. A hospital may perform. other services besides treating the sick. Research hospitals conduct medical research. Teaching hospitals educate future physicians, nurses, and laboratory specialists. A teaching hospital may form. part of a university medical center, or it may be a general hospital associated with a medical school. 5. In the professional services department, physicians play an important role and lead a large medical team working for the hospital. The medical team also includes physicians in training. These interns have come from medical schools and work in a hospital for practical experience. The nursing staff forms the largest group on the patient care team. Professional nurses, generally called registered nurses, have graduated from a nursing school. They carry out much of the patients' care under the guidance of physicians. They also direct other members of the nursing staff, including practical nurses. nurse's aides, and nurse attendants. These men and women do many tasks to tree the registered nurses for work requiring their special skills. 6. There are many other important departments in a hospital besides the professional services department. The hospital pharmacy provides medicines that physicians order for patients. The central service department maintains medical supplies. The food service department prepares meals for patients and staff members. The hospital laboratories conduct tests that help doctors diagnose and treat illnesses. The radiology department makes X rays to help physicians diagnose diseases and injuries. The medical records department keeps a record on every patient. If former patients return to the hospital, their medical record helps the physician diagnose and treat their illness. The admitting office schedules patients for admission at the request of their physician and assigns them to a room. And the business office lists each patient's charges, prepares a bill, and records payments received.