The importance of different departments in a hospital

I don’t know anyone who has never been to a hospital ever in their life. They might say they have never been sick that would warrant them to visit a hospital, but I am sure all of us have been to a medical facility more than once in our lifetime, may it be for treatment, medical advice, or just a wellness check-up. Have you noticed different departments in a hospital facility? Do you know what they are for and what the employees do for patients in those departments? Let us all find out the common departments in a hospital and their role in a patient’s wellness and health.

Departments in a hospital

There are different interpretations when talking about the departments in a hospital setting. Whether you are visiting the hospital to undergo a mandatory operation or a cosmetic surgery like rhinoplasty, some view hospital departments as the inpatient or outpatient wards, while some think that departments mean each unit within the medical setting. Let us discuss both divisions in a more simplified way.

Inpatient wards

Emergency department. This is an integral part of a hospital that caters to life-or-death situations that need immediate medical attention. This department may be divided into sub-units for trauma, burn, trauma surgery, and urgent care.

Cardiology department. This ward caters to patients diagnosed with heart problems that need constant monitoring and observation due to fluctuations and abnormalities in the blood circulation and cardiac function.

Intensive care unit (ICU). This department is where critically ill patients with life support apparatuses get admitted to making sure that they are being monitored by specially-trained staff nurses and doctors who closely supervise their vital signs. This department may have three categories, the pediatric, neonatal, or cardiovascular ICU.

Neurology, oncology, OB departments. These are specialized wards that deal with admitted patients suffering from neurological problems, cancer, or pregnancy and reproductive complications, respectively.

Other hospital departments

Nursing administration. This is one of the departments in a hospital that is somehow overlooked by patients, mainly because its function is not necessarily for their welfare. This department caters to the needs and discipline of the staff nurses in the hospital. This is the office of all the nursing directors of managers in each department of the hospital.

Outpatient departments. These comprise of different outpatient clinics and treatment units for behavioral health, dental services, dermatology (skin diseases), physical therapy, internal medicine, rehabilitative medicine, and psychiatry/psychology.

Pharmacy. All medications prescribed to be taken in or out of the hospital can be purchased in this department. Licensed pharmacists manage the distribution, dispensing, use, and supply of medications within the entire hospital facility.

Radiology. This is where imaging tests are performed. X-rays, CT-scans, MRI, ultrasounds are just some of the diagnostic procedures that are performed in this department.

Pathology/ Laboratory. This is also a department that handles diagnostic tests that deal with the secretions and body fluids of a patient to determine diagnosis or a disease etiology. Blood tests, urine exam, stool exam, sputum test, biopsy, and other medical laboratories that are needed to confirm disease or presence of bacteria in the body.

Medical records. This is where patients can get a medical summary of their hospital admission for legal or occupational purposes. Documentation of a patient’s stay, the lab test results, and the doctor’s charting can be obtained only through a valid request.

We hope that we shed some light on your curiosity to know the different departments in a hospital to help you understand their different responsibilities and roles in maintaining your overall well-being.