What is a teaching hospital?

In the United States, our healthcare system relies on “teaching hospitals” more commonly known as “academic medical centers” for the clinical education of physicians. A teaching hospital is a healthcare facility that trains new physicians. Of 6,003 hospitals in the United States, only about 400 are teaching hospitals comprising just 6 percent of all hospitals.

Larkin Community Hospital is part of a national network of academic medical centers and teaching hospitals that are essential for physicians, nurses and other health professionals and providers. We represent a vital part of the U.S. healthcare system and are deeply committed to medical training and developing clinical knowledge and skills.  This helps ensure high standards for our staff as well as superior services to our community. Our hospital serves as the clinical base to educate new physicians under the supervision of faculty in all of the major specialties. It also provides a training site for people studying for careers in nursing, podiatry and other health fields. Our ongoing commitment to educating and training physicians is a cornerstone of our mission to provide access to compassionate care of the highest quality in an educational environment.

Our status as a teaching hospital is what makes Larkin Community Hospital unique in the community, enriching it with exceptional services for those in need of healthcare, whether it is sophisticated surgical procedures or routine primary care.

America’s teaching hospitals are:

The backbone of the nation’s healthcare system. Millions of Americans turn to teaching hospitals for specialized surgeries, lifesaving care and complex treatments.
Where medical knowledge continuously evolves and new cures and treatments are found.
The training ground for the nation’s new physicians and other health professionals.
Key centers of research where medical knowledge continuously evolves and new cures are found. From new approaches in prevention and diagnosis to successful treatments and cures, the critical medical breakthroughs pioneered at teaching hospitals have dramatically improved Americans’ health.

How does a teaching hospital benefit you and the community?

Improved Quality of Care.
Shorter length of stay for major illnesses.
Studies show that patients at teaching hospitals have better outcomes and survival rates.
Ready access to physicians: Doctors are on-site 24 hours a day/7days a week. Patients are under the continuous care of medical professors and residents, which gives patients a unique advantage.
A medical team versus one doctor – expertise of an accomplished faculty of physicians addressing your care and supported by young physicians who are pushing and curious and who ask tough questions.
The academic environment encourages physicians to seek innovative solutions to patients’ problems.
Attending physicians must stay on top of the latest medical developments in order to teach medical students, residents, student nurses and allied health professionals.
The latest in treatment therapies and state-of-the-art technologies become available first at teaching hospitals.
Availability of specialized surgeries and medical procedures – top-notch physicians prefer affiliations with teaching hospitals.
Availability of leading edge, specialized services that allow patients to receive treatment in their own community.
The emphasis on education and training means careful consideration in both routine and critical cases. Because of their involvement in research, our physicians have knowledge of the latest treatment options and excel in preventive medicine. They bring together innovations and unparalleled experience to provide you the best care.
Finally, for the hospital, education creates a dynamic environment – a place of collaborative exchange, new ideas, thoughtful discourse and a team approach to patient care where everyone is constantly learning from one another. Our involvement with teaching the next generation of health professionals means you will find excellent care. Larkin Community Hospital is where teaching and learning spark better outcomes for our patients.