### Hospital types

You do not enter details about the type of hospital while defining a hospital. The type is defined later when you create a survey.

Table 5: Hospital types

Primary | Often referred to as a ‘district hospital’ or ‘first-level referral’ hospital.
Few specialities (mainly internal medicine, obstetrics-gynaecology, paediatrics, general surgery or only general practice).
Limited laboratory services are available for general, but not for specialised pathological analysis.
Often corresponds to a general hospital without teaching function.
Secondary | Often referred to as a ‘provincial hospital’.
Hospital is highly differentiated by function with five to ten clinical specialities, such as haematology, oncology, nephrology, ICU.
Takes some referrals from other (primary) hospitals.
| Often corresponds to a general hospital with teaching function.
Tertiary | Often referred to as a ‘central’, ‘regional’ or ‘tertiary-level’ hospital.
Highly specialised staff and technical equipment (ICU, haematology, transplantation, cardio-thoracic surgery, neurosurgery); specialised imaging units.
Clinical services are highly differentiated by function.
Specialised imaging units.
Provides regional services and regularly takes referrals from other (primary and secondary) hospitals.
Often a university hospital or associated with a university.
Specialised | Single clinical specialty, possibly with sub-specialties.
Highly specialised staff and technical equipment.
Specialisation (e.g. paediatric hospital, infectious diseases hospital) should be specified in a form when this is possible.

More:

Defining wards and ICUs

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