Clinic

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Clinic

Clinic (/kliːnɪk/; from Ancient Greek κλίνειν klínein meaning "to slope") is a healthcare facility that is primarily focused on the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly managed and funded. They typically cover the primary healthcare needs of populations in local communities, in contrast to larger hospitals which offer specialized treatments and admit inpatients for overnight stays.

Etymology

The term "clinic" comes from the Ancient Greek word κλίνειν klínein, which means "to slope". This is because in Ancient Greece, patients would recline on a sloped surface while receiving medical treatment.

Related Terms

  • Outpatient: A patient who attends a clinic for treatment but does not stay overnight.
  • Inpatient: A patient who stays in a hospital while under treatment.
  • Primary Care: The day-to-day healthcare given by a health care provider.
  • Hospital: A health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical and nursing staff and medical equipment.
  • Healthcare: The maintenance or improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, recovery, or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people.

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