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Clinic

A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambulatory care clinic) is a health facility that is primarily focused on the care of outpatients. Clinics can be privately operated or publicly managed and funded. They typically cover the primary care needs of populations in local communities, in contrast to larger hospitals which offer more specialized treatments and admit inpatients for overnight stays.

This article is about those outpatient clinics that are not connected with hospitals. For outpatient clinics of hospitals, see Outpatient clinic (hospital department). For inpatient healthcare facilities, see general hospital. For the British political term, see Surgery (politics). For other uses, see Clinic (disambiguation).

Most commonly, the English word clinic refers to a general practice, run by one or more general practitioners offering small therapeutic treatments, but it can also mean a specialist clinic. Some clinics retain the name "clinic" even while growing into institutions as large as major hospitals or becoming associated with a hospital or medical school.

A are in Quebec; they are a type of free clinic funded by the provincial government; they provide service not covered by Canada's healthcare plan including social workers

CLSC

In the , a free clinic provides free or low-cost healthcare for those without insurance.

United States

A is housed in supermarkets and similar retail outlets providing walk-in health care, which may be staffed by nurse practitioners.

retail-based clinic

A general out-patient clinic offers general diagnoses or treatments without an overnight stay.

A or policlinic provides a range of healthcare services (including diagnostics) without need of an overnight stay

polyclinic

sexual health clinic

There are many different types of clinics providing outpatient services. Such clinics may be public (government-funded) or private medical practices.

Healthcare provider

Health center

Health systems management

Healthcare system

Nurse-led clinic

Polyclinics in England

Walk-in clinic