What is "admission" in a healthcare context?

In a healthcare context, "admission" refers specifically to the official entry of a person into a healthcare setting, such as a hospital or nursing facility. This process involves registering the patient, collecting necessary information, and initiating their care plan. When someone is admitted, it marks the beginning of their stay in the facility, where healthcare providers can begin to assess and address their medical needs.

By focusing on the official entry aspect, this answer captures the fundamental purpose of admission, which is to facilitate the provision of care in a structured environment. Admission not only allows for treatment and monitoring but also indicates that the patient has been accepted into the facility for reasons that could range from scheduled procedures to urgent health issues requiring immediate attention.

In contrast, other options relate to different aspects of patient care: transferring a patient deals with the movement between facilities, evaluating health pertains to assessment processes, and discharge refers to the release of a patient from care, each of which represents steps outside the admission process.