Question

Hospitals traditionally have provided inpatient care in many forms but that role has changed dramatically recently. Discuss this change paradigm and its impact on hospitals as well as the healthcare system.

Answer 1

Below is how the role of hospitals in providing inpatient care has changed recently -

1. With the increased use of technology, the time for treatment, surgery and recovery has been considerably reduced leading to decrease of inpatient care.

2. Increased facilities like ambulatory care where an emergency patient is provided treatment in an ambulance before admitting the in hospital is resulting in immediate control of the emergency situation by offering care in the ambulance and thus reducing the inpatient care requirement.

3. Outpatient consultations and care was increasing due to the hassle-free treatment involved and the increased efficiency of the operations leading to reduction in treatment lead time.

4. The hospitals have been shrinking with reduction of the inpatient care leading to reduced number of beds and other related facilities while the outpatient consultations are increasing.