A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical and nursing staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emergency department to treat urgent health problems ranging from fire. A district hospital typically is the major health care facility in its region, with many beds for intensive care and additional beds for patients who need long-term care.

Specialized hospitals include trauma centers, rehabilitation hospitals, children's hospitals, seniors hospitals, and hospitals for dealing with specific medical needs such as psychiatric treatment. Specialized hospitals can help reduce health care costs compared to general hospitals. Hospitals are classified as general, specialty, or government depending on the sources of income received.

Health care, health-care, or healthcare is 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. Health care is delivered by health professionals in allied health fields.