Inpatients

Dr Phillips:

The inpatients in a hospital are admitted in one of three main ways. They may be examined in one of the outpatient clinics and admitted from there or, if there is a lot of demand for the treatment they need, as in the case of a hip replacement, they are registered on a waiting list for admission. Alternatively, their GP may arrange the admission by telephone because they are acutely ill, for example with suspected myocardial infarction. Or they are examined in the A&E Department, where the doctor on duty working at that time makes the admission. This would happen in the case of a patient with a fractured neck of femur, for example. Larger hospitals may have an assessment unit where patients can be admitted temporarily while their condition is assessed.

Venera: Assessed?

Dr Phillips: Yes, decisions are made about patients’ conditions, and what needs to be done to help them. After treatment is completed, the patient is discharged back to the GP's care.

Exercises

5.1 Complete the table. Form the nouns from verbs. Put a stress mark in front of the stressed syllable in each word.

The first one has been done for you.

Verb	Noun
ad'mit	ad'mission
assess
discharge
operate
refer
treat
examine
introduce
complete
appoint

5.2 Make word combinations using a word from each box.

acutely		unit
assessment		letter
on		list
referral		duty
waiting royal		infirmary ill

5.3 What is the disease or illness being described in each case?

a)A slow, progressive disorder of elderly people, it affects the parts of the brain which control movement. The symptoms are trembling of the limbs, a shuffling walk and difficulty with speaking.

b)A disorder of the nervous system in which there are convulsions and loss of consciousness due to disordered discharge of cerebral neurons. The patient may lose consciousness and fall to the ground in convulsions in its more severe form.

5.4 Write a description, in English, of a disease or illness and see if your partner can recognize it…

5.5 Which hospital departments would be most appropriate for the following patients?

1 a woman in diabetic coma

2 a patient who has just had a radical prostatectomy

3 a patient who is to have a skin lesion removed

4 a man with a foreign body in his eye

5 a woman with a threatened abortion

5.6 Complete the extract from aninformation leaflet for patients.

Information for outpatients

When you arrive at the (1).............................., please tell the receptionist to check your details, and direct you to the waiting area. The length of your visit will depend on the (2)................................you're going to have. You may need to have some (3)................................................, such as an X-ray, which could mean going to another(4)..................................Or you may be (5)..................................to other professionals, such as physiotherapist or dietician. You may need to revisit the clinic. If staff at the clinic wants to see you again, another appointment will be organized for you. If you need to be

(6)...............................to hospital for more treatment, either as an inpatient or for (7).............................surgery, you will be told when this is likely to happen.

If you do not need further treatment you will be (8)............................to your GP's care.

5.7 Answer questions.

1. What are the ways of admission to a hospital in your country? How do hospitals in your country organize admissions?, How would you explain that procedure to a colleague from another country?