use trauma center
Death is the cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism . Phenomena which commonly bring about death include biological aging , predation , malnutrition , disease , ___MASK17___ , homicide , starvation , dehydration , and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury . Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death . A children ' s ___MASK72___ is a ___MASK72___ which offers its services exclusively to children and adolescents . Most children ' s hospitals can serve children from birth up to the age of 18 , or in some instances , children ' s hospitals ' doctors may treat children until they finish high ___MASK62___ . The number of children ' s hospitals proliferated in the 20th century , as pediatric medical and surgical specialties separated from internal medicine and adult surgical specialties . Psychiatric hospitals , also known as mental hospitals and mental asylums , are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of serious psychiatric illnesses , such as clinical depression , schizophrenia , and bipolar disorder . Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading . Some hospitals may specialize only in short - term or outpatient ___MASK70___ for low - risk patients . Others may specialize in the temporary or permanent care of residents who , as a result of a psychological disorder , require routine assistance , treatment , or a specialized and controlled environment . Patients are often admitted on a voluntary basis , but people whom psychiatrists believe may pose a significant danger to themselves or others may be subject to involuntary commitment . Psychiatric hospitals may also be referred to as psychiatric wards ( or " psych " wards ) when they are a subunit of a regular ___MASK72___ . ___MASK29___ or healthcare is the maintenance or improvement of health via the diagnosis , treatment , and prevention of disease , illness , injury , and other physical and mental impairments in human beings . ___MASK29___ is delivered by health professionals ( providers or practitioners ) in allied health professions , chiropractic , physicians , physician associates , ___MASK60___ , midwifery , nursing , medicine , optometry , pharmacy , psychology , and other health professions . It includes the work done in providing primary care , secondary care , and tertiary care , as well as in public health . A ___MASK72___ is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical and nursing staff and medical equipment . The best - known type of ___MASK72___ is the general ___MASK72___ , which typically has an emergency department to treat urgent health problems ranging from fire and accident victims to a heart attack . A district ___MASK72___ typically is the major health care facility in its region , with large numbers of beds for intensive care and additional beds for patients who need long - term care . Specialised hospitals include trauma centres , rehabilitation hospitals , children ' s hospitals , seniors ' ( geriatric ) hospitals , and hospitals for dealing with specific medical needs such as psychiatric treatment ( see psychiatric ___MASK72___ ) and certain disease categories . Specialised hospitals can help reduce health care costs compared to general hospitals . A patient is any recipient of ___MASK29___ services . The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a advanced practice registered nurse , physiotherapist , physician , physician assistant , psychologist , podiatrist , veterinarian , or other ___MASK29___ provider . A trauma center ( or trauma centre ) is a ___MASK72___ equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries such as falls , motor vehicle collisions , or gunshot wounds . A trauma center may also refer to an emergency department ( also known as a `` casualty department '' or `` accident & emergency '' ) without the presence of specialized services to care for victims of major trauma . In the United States , a ___MASK72___ can receive trauma center status by meeting specific criteria established by the American College of Surgeons ( ACS ) and passing a site review by the Verification Review Committee . Official designation as a trauma center is determined by individual state law provisions . Trauma centers vary in their specific capabilities and are identified by `` Level '' designation : Level - I ( Level - 1 ) being the highest , to Level - III ( Level - 3 ) being the lowest ( some states have five designated levels , in which case Level - V ( Level - 5 ) is the lowest ) . The highest levels of trauma centers have access to specialist medical and nursing care including emergency medicine , trauma surgery , critical care , neurosurgery , orthopedic surgery , anesthesiology and radiology , as well as highly sophisticated surgical and diagnostic equipment . Lower levels of trauma centers may only be able to provide initial care and stabilization of a traumatic injury and arrange for transfer of the victim to a higher level of trauma care . The operation of a trauma center is extremely expensive . Some areas -- especially rural regions -- are under - served by trauma centers because of this expense . As there is no way to schedule the need for emergency services , patient traffic at trauma centers can vary widely . A variety of methods have been developed for dealing with this . A trauma center will often have a helipad for receiving patients that have been airlifted to the ___MASK72___ . In many cases , persons injured in remote areas and transported to a distant trauma center by helicopter can receive faster and better medical care than if they had been transported by ground ambulance to a closer ___MASK72___ that does not have a designated trauma center . The trauma level certification can directly affect the patient ' s outcome and determine if the patient needs to be transferred to a higher level trauma center . Nursing is a profession within the ___MASK29___ sector focused on the care of individuals , families , and communities so they may attain , maintain , or recover optimal health and quality of life . Nurses may be differentiated from other ___MASK29___ providers by their approach to patient care , ___MASK55___ , and scope of practice . Nurses practice in many specialisms with differing levels of prescriber authority . Many nurses provide care within the ordering scope of physicians , and this traditional role has shaped the public image of nurses as care providers . However , nurses are permitted by most jurisdictions to practice independently in a variety of settings depending on ___MASK55___ level . In the postwar period , nurse education has undergone a process of diversification towards advanced and specialized credentials , and many of the traditional regulations and provider roles are changing . An ambulance is a ___MASK77___ for transportation of sick or injured people to , from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury , and in some instances will also provide out of ___MASK72___ medical care to the patient . The word is often associated with road going " emergency ambulances " which form part of an emergency medical service , administering emergency care to those with acute medical problems . Major trauma is any injury that has the potential to cause prolonged disability or death . There are many causes of major trauma , blunt and penetrating , including falls , motor ___MASK77___ collisions , and stabbing and gunshot wounds . Depending on the severity of injury , quick management and ___MASK5___ to an appropriate medical facility ( called a trauma center ) may be necessary to prevent loss of life or limb . The initial assessment involves a physical evaluation and can also include the use of imaging tools to accurately determine a type of injury and to formulate a course of treatment . Various classification scales exist for use with trauma to determine the severity of injuries , which is used to determine the resources used and for statistical collection . The initial assessment is critical in determining the extent of injuries and what will be needed to manage an injury , and treating immediate life threats . Emergency ___MASK34___ , formerly known in some countries as accident and emergency ___MASK34___ , is the medical specialty involving care for undifferentiated and unscheduled patients with illnesses or injuries requiring immediate medical attention . In their role as first - line providers , emergency physicians are responsible for initiating investigations and interventions to diagnose and / or treat patients in the acute phase ( including initial resuscitation and stabilization ), coordinating care with physicians from other specialities , and making decisions regarding a patient ' s need for ___MASK72___ admission , ___MASK15___ , or discharge . Emergency physicians generally practice in ___MASK72___ emergency departments , pre - ___MASK72___ settings via ___MASK42___ , and intensive care units , but may also work in primary care settings such as urgent care clinics . Rehabilitation hospitals , also referred to as inpatient rehabilitation hospitals , are devoted to the rehabilitation of patients with various neurological , musculo - skeletal , orthopedic and other medical conditions following stabilization of their acute medical issues . The ___MASK1___ is largely made up by independent hospitals that operate these facilities within acute care hospitals . There are also inpatient rehabilitation hospitals that offer this service in a hospital - like setting , but separate from acute care facilities . Most inpatient rehabilitation facilities are located within hospitals . . Primary care is the day - to - day healthcare given by a ___MASK29___ provider . Typically this provider acts as the first contact and principal point of continuing care for patients within a healthcare system , and coordinates other specialist care that the patient may need . Patients commonly receive primary care from professionals such as a primary care physician ( general practitioner or family physician ), a nurse practitioner ( adult - gerontology nurse practitioner , family nurse practitioner , or pediatric nurse practitioner ), or a physician assistant . In some localities such a professional may be a registered nurse , a pharmacist , a clinical officer ( as in parts of Africa ), or a Ayurvedic or other traditional medicine professional ( as in parts of Asia ). Depending on the nature of the health condition , patients may then be referred for secondary or tertiary care . An emergency department ( ED ), also known as an accident & emergency department ( A & E ), emergency room ( ER ) or casualty department , is a medical treatment facility specializing in emergency ___MASK34___ , the acute care of patients who present without prior appointment ; either by their own means or by that of an ambulance . The emergency department is usually found in a ___MASK72___ or other primary care center .