How Is a General Hospital Different from a Specialty Hospital?

General hospitals provide a broad range of diagnostic, treatment, and surgical services to all kinds of patients, including those with acute conditions.

Surgical and specialty hospitals offer a narrower range of services. Types of specialty hospitals include orthopedic, surgical, psychiatric, cardiac, and cancer centers, among others.

The growth in specialty hospitals, which are often physician-owned, has been steady for a couple of decades. While general hospitals still serve an important role, they cannot provide the same focused, quality services as specialty hospitals.

Benefits of Choosing a Specialty Hospital

As a patient, you have choices. You don’t have to settle for whichever hospital is available for the treatment you need. You want more control over your care and in choosing the professionals providing it. This is why more people are choosing specialty centers for care. They provide several benefits for patients:

• Get cutting-edge care. A specialty hospital gathers resources so that patients benefit from the latest technology and most advanced surgical procedures. For example, NCSH joint specialists have access to the Makoplasty robotic surgical system. It allows surgeons to be more precise and use a less invasive procedure that results in better patient recovery and overall outcomes.
• Have more control over your care. As a physician-owned facility, NCSH gives surgeons more control over how they care for patients. They collaborate with their patients and can choose the types of procedures performed, screen patients, and take their time getting the best results.
• Pay less for care. Specialty hospitals provide services more efficiently because they focus on one area of medicine. This means they can deliver care at lower costs, even when using cutting-edge surgery systems and other technologies.
• Enjoy improved patient safety and outcomes. With physician control of the facility and a pool of experts all working on similar patient problems, safety and outcomes are bound to be better than in general hospitals. Here, surgeons are empowered to create a safer environment for patients.
• Get specialized services. Patients are savvier healthcare consumers than they used to be in the past. You know how to research hospitals and surgeons and look for the best specialized care. If you have a foot condition, you need a podiatrist. If you need a joint replacement, you need an orthopedic hospital staffed by experienced surgeons.

NCSH opened its doors in 1926 and today has 18 licensed beds, nine observation beds, five procedure rooms, and four operating rooms. We can accommodate both inpatient and outpatient procedures. The team consists of highly skilled physicians and one nurse for every four patients at a minimum.

The staff is committed to advancing care for patients while focusing on quality and patient safety and patient satisfaction. Recently, our efforts were rewarded by a five-star CMS rating. The CMS star rating system awards points for patient safety, mortality rates, readmission rates, patient experience, and timeliness and effectiveness of care. Just 2% of hospitals receive a coveted five-star rating.

Patients Are Choosing Specialty Surgery Centers and NCSH

A study comparing general and specialty hospitals found that patient satisfaction is consistently higher in specialty facilities. Patients know what they want and don’t settle for adequate or mediocre care or safety. They continue to turn to specialty surgery centers because they have the best experiences.

As a patient, you have options. You can be an advocate for your health and care. The best choice is to go where you feel confident you will receive quality, safe, and efficient care. Learn more about the surgery types we offer patients and book an appointment with one of our physicians.

NCSH opened its doors in 1926 and today has 18 licensed beds, nine observation beds, five procedure rooms, and four operating rooms. We can accommodate both inpatient and outpatient procedures. The team consists of highly skilled physicians and one nurse for every four patients at a minimum.

The staff is committed to advancing care for patients while focusing on quality and patient safety and patient satisfaction. Recently, our efforts were rewarded by a five-star CMS rating. The CMS star rating system awards points for patient safety, mortality rates, readmission rates, patient experience, and timeliness and effectiveness of care. Just 2% of hospitals receive a coveted five-star rating.

Patients Are Choosing Specialty Surgery Centers and NCSH

A study comparing general and specialty hospitals found that patient satisfaction is consistently higher in specialty facilities. Patients know what they want and don’t settle for adequate or mediocre care or safety. They continue to turn to specialty surgery centers because they have the best experiences.

As a patient, you have options. You can be an advocate for your health and care. The best choice is to go where you feel confident you will receive quality, safe, and efficient care. Contact NCSH to learn more about what we offer patients and to talk to our specialists.