CLINIC

A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic) is a health care facility that is primarily devoted
to the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly managed and funded, and
typically cover the primary health care needs of populations in local communities, in contrast to larger
hospitals which offer specialized treatments and admit inpatients for overnight stays. Some clinics grow
to be institutions as large as major hospitals, or become associated with a hospital or medical school,
while retaining the name “clinic."

Overview

Clinics are often associated with a general medical practice, run by one or several general practitioners
or practice managers. Physiotherapy clinics are usually operated by physiotherapists and psychology
clinics by clinical psychologists, and so on for each health profession. Some clinics are operated in-house
by employers, government organizations or hospitals and some clinical services are outsourced to
private corporations, specialising in provision of health services. In China, for example, owners of those
clinics do not have formal medical education. There were 659,596 village clinics in China in 2011. [1]
Health care in India, China, Russia and Africa is provided to vast rural areas by mobile health clinics or
roadside dispensaries, some of which integrate traditional health practices. In India these traditional
clinics provide ayurvedic medicine and unani herbal medical practice. In each of these countries
traditional medicine tends to be a hereditary practice.

Etymology

The word derives from the Greek klinein meaning to slope, lean or recline. Hence kline is a couch or bed,
klinikos is sloping or reclining and Latin is clinicus.[2] An early use of the word clinic was, 'one who
receives baptism on a sick bed'

Function

The function of clinics will differ from country to country. For instance, a local general practice run by a
single general practitioner will provide primary health care, and will usually be run as a for-profit
business by the owner whereas a government specialist clinic may provide subsidized specialized health
care.

Some clinics function as a place for people with injuries or illnesses to come and be seen by triage nurse
or other health worker. In these clinics, the injury or illness may not be serious enough to warrant a visit
to an emergency room, but the person can be moved to one if required. Treatment at these clinics is
often less expensive than it would be at a casualty department. Also, unlike an ER these clinics are often
not open on a 24 x 7 x 365 basis. They sometimes have access to diagnostic equipment such as X-ray
machines, especially if the clinic is part of a larger facility. Doctors at such clinics can often refer patients
to specialists if the need arises.

Types

There are many different types of clinics providing outpatient services. Such clinics may be public
(government funded) or private medical practices.
  A CLSC are in Quebec they are a type of free clinic funded by the provincal government they
provide service not cover by Canada's health care plan including social workers

 In the United States, a free clinic provides free or low-cost health care for those without
insurance.

 A Retail Based Clinic is housed in supermarkets and similar retail outlets providing walk-in health
care, which may be staffed by nurse practitioners.

 A general out-patient clinic is a clinic offering a community general diagnoses or treatments

without an overnight stay.

 A polyclinic is a place where a wide range of health care services (including diagnostics) can be
obtained without need of an overnight stay

 A specialist clinic is a clinic providing advanced diagnostic or treatment services for specific
diseases or parts of the body. This type of clinic contrasts with general out-patient clinics, which
deal with general health conditions and disease categories.

o A sexual health clinic deals with sexual health related problems, such as prevention and
treatment of sexually transmitted infections.

o A fertility clinic aims to help women and couples to become pregnant.

o An abortion clinic is a medical facility providing abortion and related medical services to
women.

o An ambulatory surgery clinic offers outpatient or same day surgery services, usually for
surgical procedures less complicated than those requiring hospitalization.

Examples
 Tavistock Clinic, part of the British NHS, was founded in 1920's. One of its most celebrated
members was R D Laing.
 The Suitcase Clinic, the Berkeley Free Clinic, and the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic are examples of
free clinics.
 Christian Medical College & Hospital in Vellore, India has extensive roadside dispensaries and
began as a one bed clinic in 1900.
 The Edmonton Clinic is a joint venture of the University of Alberta and government health care
body Capital health, expected to be completed in 2011.
 The Shyness Clinic founded by Zimbardo to assist those disabled by public or private shyness.
 La Borde clinic in the Loire valley France, is an innovative psychiatric clinic where patients are
liberated to actively participate in the running of the facility.
 The Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Marshfield Clinic and Lahey Clinic are examples of
comprehensive health care systems, all having began as much smaller group practices that have
since grown into large medical programs in the United States, whilst retaining their names.
 The Gary Burnstein Community Health Clinic, a non-profit, volunteer-supported Free Clinic in
Pontiac, Michigan.
 The Balaji Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Clinic "for muscle, joint, back pain, stroke and spine
rehabilitation treatments"[4] in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
 A medpunkt (health care access point) delivers primary health
care to the residents of the village of Veliki Vrag in Nizhny
Novgorod Oblast, Russia.

The entrance to a surgery

clinic in Greenwich, London.