Hospital

Hospitals have evolved greatly over the past 50 years going from simple state run institutions that provided emergency care to large and complex facilities that conduct advanced medical research treat rare disorders and promote healthy cultural initiatives that can lead to fewer diseases.

One of the emerging trends of hospitals that have had a large impact on the elderly is changes in the amount of time patients stay. For a long time medical care was really restricted to the hospital and patients would stay as long as there was a need for care. However, now patients have “discharge plans” created for them that will prescribe care in the home through visiting nurses or other private skilled providers.

The length of care provided in a hospital setting is now being reduced, on an institutional basis, and the amount of care being received at home, is increasing. This shift has been supported by insurers, because it has been found that hospitals care is very expensive relative to home care.