Hospitals - Emergency Medical Services
Marin County, San Francisco North Bay, Ca. USA

A hospital is an institution for health care, often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays.

Today, hospitals are usually funded by the state, health organisations (for profit or non-profit), by health insurances or by charities and by donations. In history, however, they were often founded and funded by religious orders or charitable individuals and leaders. Hospitals are nowadays staffed by professional physicians, surgeons and nurses, whereas in history, this work was usually done by the founding religious orders or by volunteers.

Some patients just come for diagnosis and/or therapy and then leave (outpatients); while others are admitted and stay overnight or for several weeks or months (inpatients). Hospitals are usually distinguished from other types of medical facilities by their ability to admit and care for inpatients.
 

An Emergency Medical Service system (abbreviated to acronym "EMS" in many countries) is a service providing pre-hospital (or out-of-hospital) acute care to patients with illnesses and injuries. The most common and recognised EMS type is an Ambulance organisation.

In some places, an EMS organisation may also be called a First Aid Squad, Emergency Squad, Safety Squad, Rescue Squad, Ambulance Squad, Ambulance Service, Ambulance Corps or Life Squad.