Outpatients

Dr Barron: The Accident and Emergency Department (A&E), also called Casualty, is where patients who are acutely ill- with a sudden, serious condition - come for assessment and treatment. Outpatients who have an appointment to see a specialist go to a clinic in one of the Outpatient Departments (OPDs). They have usually been referred to the hospital by their GP, who writes a referral letter to the consultant explaining the patient's problem.

Inpatients

Dr Barron: The inpatients in a hospital are admittedin one of three main ways. They may be seen 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 put on a waiting listfor admission. Alternatively, their GP may arrange the admissionby telephone because they are acutely ill, for example with suspected myocardial infarction. Or they are seen in the A&E Department, where the doctor on duty- working at that time -arranges 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.

Jordi: Assessed?

Dr Barron: Yes - decisions are made about their condition, and what needs to be done to help them. After treatment is completed, the patient is discharged back to the GP's care.

Exercises:

1.Complete the table with words from А, В and С. Put a stress mark in front of the stressed syllable in each word.

2.Make word combinations using a word from each box. Look at С to help you.

3.Which hospital departments would be most appropriate for the following patients? Look at А, В and С to help you.

1. a patient in diabetic coma

2. a patient who has just had an operation

3. a patient with a sudden asthma attack

4. a pregnant woman

5. a patient who needs a consultation of a cardiologist

4.Complete the extract from an information leaflet for patients. Choose from the following words:

day, admitted, department, hospital, referred, tests, treatment, discharged