1. Unit 1: Health Assisting
Lesson 2: Facilities

2. Lesson 2 – Facilities Health care facilities Medical offices Hospitals
Subacute centers
Nursing facilities
Community health clinics
Home health care agencies
Mental health facilities
Hospice
Health Care Facilities
A health care facility is an establishment that provides health care services to patients. There are many types of health care facilities, including:   
Medical offices   
Hospitals   
Subacute centers   
Nursing facilities   
Community health clinics   
Home health care agencies   
Mental health facilities   
Hospice
The roles and responsibilities of health care workers can vary depending on the facilities in which they work.

3. Lesson 2 – Facilities Medical office services
Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders
Physical examinations
Basic medical tests
Minor procedures and surgery
Medical Offices
One type of health care facility is a medical office. Medical offices provide care to patients who have minor or routine health problems.
These services can be obtained in medical offices:   
Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders   
Physical examinations   
Basic medical tests   
Minor procedures and surgery

4. Lesson 2 – Facilities Medical offices vary Ownership Conditions
Age groups
Medical Offices
Medical offices vary in ownership, conditions, and age groups.   
Ownership: Some medical offices are owned by just one or two physicians. Other medical offices are made of large groups of physicians.   
Conditions: Some medical offices provide care for a wide range of conditions. Other medical offices specialize in a specific type of condition. For example, obstetric medical offices care for pregnant women.   
Age groups: Some medical offices offer care to all age groups. Other medical offices specialize in a specific age group. For example, pediatric medical offices care for infants and children.

5. Lesson 2 – Facilities Hospital services Emergency medical services
Diagnostic services
Procedures and surgery
Nursing services
Therapeutic services
Hospitals
Hospitals provide outpatient and short-term care to patients. They provide the following of services:   
Emergency medical services   
Diagnostic services   
Procedures and surgery   
Nursing services   
Therapeutic services

6. Lesson 2 – Facilities Hospitals vary Services Ownership Conditions
Age groups
Hospitals
Hospitals vary in services, ownership, conditions, and age groups.   
Services: Some hospitals are small and provide basic needs for a community. Other hospitals are large and offer a wide range of services. These services include treatment, education, and research.   
Ownership: Many hospitals are classified as proprietary, which means that they earn a profit from their services. Proprietary hospitals are usually privately-owned facilities. Hospitals that do not receive a profit from their services are called nonprofit or voluntary. Other forms of hospital ownership include government hospitals and religious hospitals.   
Conditions: General hospitals treat a variety of conditions. Specialty hospitals provide services for certain conditions. For example, oncology hospitals treat individuals with cancer.   
Age groups: Some hospitals offer care to all age groups. Other hospitals specialize in a specific age group. For example, geriatric hospitals care for the elderly.

7. Lesson 2 – Facilities Short-term care provided by hospitals
Acute health problems
Subacute health problems
Chronic health problems
Terminal health problems
Hospitals may provide short-term care to patients who have acute, subacute, chronic, and terminal health problems.   
Acute health problems begin suddenly. There is a cure, and most patients recover.   
Subacute health problems are ones in which a patient's condition is stable, but medical or therapeutic care is needed. Most patients recover. Some patients need long-term care.   
Chronic health problems begin slowly. There is no known cure. It is ongoing, but the problem can be controlled.   
Terminal health problems have no cure. Most patients do not recover.

8. Lesson 2 – Facilities Subacute facilities Short-term care
Medical or therapeutic care
Subacute Facilities
Subacute facilities provide short-term care to patients who are recovering and need medical or therapeutic care. For example, patients may need wound care or rehabilitation.

9. Lesson 2 – Facilities Nursing facilities
Short and long-term care for people who cannot care for themselves
Rehabilitation
Social activities
Nursing Facilities
Nursing facilities provide short and long-term care to people who cannot care for themselves. These people include the elderly as well as people with disabilities and chronic health problems. Nursing facilities also provide rehabilitation and social activities.

10. Lesson 2 – Facilities Community health clinics
Medical office services for disadvantaged people
Family planning
Tobacco prevention and cessation
Alcohol and drug abuse counseling
Domestic abuse counseling
STD prevention
HIV/AIDS counseling
Children and youth programs
Senior programs
Community Health Clinics
Like medical offices, community health clinics provide care to patients who have minor or routine health problems. Community health clinics often serve disadvantaged people, such as offering free or reduced-cost care to those who cannot afford health care and providing care to those who cannot speak English.
These services can be obtained in community health clinics:   
Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and disorders   
Physical examinations   
Basic medical tests   
Minor procedures
Community health clinics may also provide the following services:  
Family planning   
Tobacco prevention and cessation   
Alcohol and drug abuse counseling   
Domestic abuse counseling   
Sexually transmitted disease prevention   
HIV/AIDS counseling   
Children and youth programs   
Senior programs

11. Lesson 2 – Facilities Home health care agencies
In home short and long- term care for people who cannot care for themselves
Meal preparation
Housekeeping and laundry
Shopping
Rehabilitation
Home Health Care Agencies
Like nursing facilities, home health care agencies provide short and long-term care to people who cannot care for themselves. Home health care agencies, though, provide nursing care within patients' homes. Home health care agencies may also prepare meals, do housekeeping and laundry, shop for groceries and household items, and provide rehabilitation.

12. Lesson 2 – Facilities Mental health facilities
Mental diseases and disorders care
Alcohol and drug abuse counseling
Domestic abuse counseling
Outpatient, short- term and long-term care
Mental Health Facilities
Some mental health facilities provide care to patients with mental diseases and disorders. Other mental health facilities provide counseling to people with alcohol and drug abuse problems. And other mental health facilities provide counseling to victims of domestic abuse. Mental health facilities may offer outpatient care, short-term care, or long-term care.

13. Lesson 2 – Facilities Hospice agencies
Care and counseling to patients with terminal health problems and their families
Physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual care
Available in hospice facilities, hospitals, nursing facilities and patient’s home
Hospice Agencies
Hospice agencies provide care and counseling to patients with terminal health problems and their families. Hospice care provides physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual care. Physical care is aimed at pain relief and symptom control. Overall, hospice care helps people die in comfort and with dignity. Hospice care may be available in hospice facilities, hospitals, nursing facilities, home health care agencies, and the patient's home.