Public hospital
Encyclopedia
A public hospital or government hospital is a hospital
which is owned by a government
and receives government funding. This type of hospital provides medical care free of charge, the cost of which is covered by the funding the hospital receives.
Universal Healthcare Program.) Public Hospitals are usually better equipped, though consist primarily of shared-ward beds.
Emergency Departments: Australian Public Hospitals are almost exclusive providers of Emergency Care (There are extremely few privately operated Emergency Departments, and patients treated at these private facilities are billed for care, the Hospital is unable to bill Medicare for the service provided. Some costs, however (pathology, X-ray) may qualify for billing under Medicare.
In-Patient Treatment: There are increasing numbers of private hospitals around Australia, particularly in higher-income and higher-density areas. Public Hospitals treat all patients regardless of whether they hold private heath insurance. Treatment is billed to the Universal Healthcare Medicare
Program. Where patients hold private health insurance
, they may be transferred to a private facility (if nearby), or given the option to do so if admitted through Emergency or after treatment.
, Canada
's publicly funded
universal health insurance system
. Hospitals in Canada treat all Canadian citizens and permanent residents regardless of their age, income, or social status.
(NHS) and has been funded from general taxation since 1948.
In the United States, two thirds of all urban hospitals are non-profit. The remaining third is split between for-profit and public. The urban public hospitals are often associated with medical schools. The largest public hospital system in America is the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
, which is associated with the New York University School of Medicine
.
In the U.S., public hospitals receive significant funding from local, state, and/or federal governments. In addition, they may charge Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurers for the care of patients. Poor uninsured patients receive their care for free. Public hospitals, especially in urban areas, have a high concentration of uncompensated care and graduate medical education as compared to all other American hospitals. Public hospitals in America are closing at a much faster rate than hospitals overall. The number of public hospitals in major suburbs declined 27% (134 to 98) from 1996 to 2002. It is thought that the increase in uninsured has drained public hospitals to near bankruptcy. Non-profit rural hospitals were disproportionately represented with high numbers of patients with uncompensated care. Public and non-profit rural hospitals form a large part of the health care safety net for the uninsured and poor underinsured in the U.S.
For-profit hospitals were more likely to provide profitable medical services and less likely to provide medical services that were relatively unprofitable. Government or public hospitals were more likely to offer relatively unprofitable medical services. Not-for-profit hospitals often fell in the middle between public and for-profit hospitals in the types of medical services they provided. For-profit hospitals were quicker to respond to changes in profitability of medical services than the other two types of hospitals.
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
which is owned by a government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and receives government funding. This type of hospital provides medical care free of charge, the cost of which is covered by the funding the hospital receives.
Australia
In Australia, public hospitals are operated and funded by each individual State's Health Program (which is funded by the Federal Government's MedicareMedicare (Australia)
Medicare is Australia's publicly funded universal health care system, operated by the government authority Medicare Australia. Medicare is intended to provide affordable treatment by doctors and in public hospitals for all resident citizens and permanent residents except for those on Norfolk Island...
Universal Healthcare Program.) Public Hospitals are usually better equipped, though consist primarily of shared-ward beds.
Emergency Departments: Australian Public Hospitals are almost exclusive providers of Emergency Care (There are extremely few privately operated Emergency Departments, and patients treated at these private facilities are billed for care, the Hospital is unable to bill Medicare for the service provided. Some costs, however (pathology, X-ray) may qualify for billing under Medicare.
In-Patient Treatment: There are increasing numbers of private hospitals around Australia, particularly in higher-income and higher-density areas. Public Hospitals treat all patients regardless of whether they hold private heath insurance. Treatment is billed to the Universal Healthcare Medicare
Medicare (Australia)
Medicare is Australia's publicly funded universal health care system, operated by the government authority Medicare Australia. Medicare is intended to provide affordable treatment by doctors and in public hospitals for all resident citizens and permanent residents except for those on Norfolk Island...
Program. Where patients hold private health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
, they may be transferred to a private facility (if nearby), or given the option to do so if admitted through Emergency or after treatment.
Canada
In Canada all hospitals are funded through MedicareMedicare (Canada)
Medicare is the unofficial name for Canada's publicly funded universal health insurance system. The formal terminology for the insurance system is provided by the Canada Health Act and the health insurance legislation of the individual provinces and territories.Under the terms of the Canada Health...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's publicly funded
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
universal health insurance system
Universal health care
Universal health care is a term referring to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.-History:...
. Hospitals in Canada treat all Canadian citizens and permanent residents regardless of their age, income, or social status.
United Kingdom
In the UK public hospitals provide health care free at the point of use for the patient. Private health care is used by less than 8 percent of the population. The UK system is known as the National Health ServiceNational Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
(NHS) and has been funded from general taxation since 1948.
United States
New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation operates the public hospitals and clinics in New York City. A public benefit corporation with $6.7 billion in annual revenues, HHC is the largest municipal healthcare system in the United States serving 1.3 million patients, including more than...
, which is associated with the New York University School of Medicine
New York University School of Medicine
The New York University School of Medicine is one of the graduate schools of New York University. Founded in 1841 as the University Medical College, the NYU School of Medicine is one of the foremost medical schools in the United States....
.
In the U.S., public hospitals receive significant funding from local, state, and/or federal governments. In addition, they may charge Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurers for the care of patients. Poor uninsured patients receive their care for free. Public hospitals, especially in urban areas, have a high concentration of uncompensated care and graduate medical education as compared to all other American hospitals. Public hospitals in America are closing at a much faster rate than hospitals overall. The number of public hospitals in major suburbs declined 27% (134 to 98) from 1996 to 2002. It is thought that the increase in uninsured has drained public hospitals to near bankruptcy. Non-profit rural hospitals were disproportionately represented with high numbers of patients with uncompensated care. Public and non-profit rural hospitals form a large part of the health care safety net for the uninsured and poor underinsured in the U.S.
For-profit hospitals were more likely to provide profitable medical services and less likely to provide medical services that were relatively unprofitable. Government or public hospitals were more likely to offer relatively unprofitable medical services. Not-for-profit hospitals often fell in the middle between public and for-profit hospitals in the types of medical services they provided. For-profit hospitals were quicker to respond to changes in profitability of medical services than the other two types of hospitals.