The modern hospital in historical context

The evolution and development of hospitals in their historical context is quickly reviewed, starting first as simple shelters for the sick and indigent, waiting essentially for death, up to the relatively recent concept of true health centers where patients face a high probability of actual recovery and rehabilitation. Anesthesia, microbiology, asepsia, antibiotics, virology, radiology, transfusion and different biomedical engineering technologies, along with other basic sciences knowledge, led to the intensive care and emergency units introduced in the 1960's, leading to the specialty of critical care medicine and underlining the patient as the center of care.