A hospital consists of different departments such as surgery, internal medicine, ophthalmology, gynecology or radiology. At the head of each department is a chief physician. Like most companies, each hospital has a management board that is responsible for the company. It consists of the head of administration (commercial manager), the medical management (medical director) and the nursing management.
How exactly a clinic is structured, which employees there are and what their tasks are, is often opaque for patients. In large clinics, individual departments can be larger than a small hospital.
Doctors – medicine is teamwork
In the various departments work chief physician, senior physician, ward physician and usually assistant doctors. In most departments there are several assistant physicians who are either already specialists (e.g. specialist in gynecology and obstetrics, specialist in internal medicine) or are currently training to become specialists.
The senior physician or an experienced ward physician guides the residents. These work close to the patient, providing care and examination. Residents and ward physicians are therefore the most important contacts for a patient. They are in regular contact with the senior physician and head physician.
The nursing service manager is the head nurse. In addition, there is usually a ward manager who leads a team of healthcare and nursing staff as well as trainee healthcare and nursing staff, nursing assistants and geriatric nurses. Nurses are important contact persons for patients. The nursing staff organizes the entire process on the ward and cares for the patients. Usually at least one of the nurses accompanies the daily rounds of the medical team.
Physical therapists (physiotherapists)
Physiotherapists work on many wards. After a stroke, for example, they are indispensable in minimizing a patient’s impairments (e.g., improving motor skills). They are also an important pillar after surgeries to help patients get “back on their feet” more quickly. Physiotherapists exercise with patients on a very individual basis to support the healing process. They also show patients how to perform the exercises themselves.
Medical-technical service
There are a number of employees who work in the laboratory. They analyze blood, urine or stool samples and perform microbiological tests (e.g. detection of certain bacteria, viruses and other pathogens).
Around food
Nutritionists are used for certain illnesses. For example, diabetics, people who have had gall bladder surgery, cancer patients or patients with osteoporosis benefit from this. Nutritionists draw up individual diet and nutrition plans for patients in consultation with the attending physician. Some clinics also employ oecotrophologists (nutritionists and home economists) who also advise patients on nutrition.
Nutritionists also work closely with the kitchen management, which sets the daily menu. It is important that the food is healthy and well tolerated. Meatless alternatives for vegetarians are also on the menu in all hospitals today.
Social services and pastoral care
Social workers help patients if they need care after discharge, for example. They organize care at home or advise on a place in a home and help with filling out necessary forms (application for a severely disabled person’s card, place in a rehabilitation clinic, etc). The social workers also have an open ear for your personal problems. By the way, they are bound by professional secrecy, just like doctors and pastors.
Other staff
There is a whole range of other staff in the hospital who contribute to the smooth running of the clinic, for example room attendants and kitchen staff.
