polyclinics

Polyclinics are large outpatient medical facilities that house multiple medical specialties within a single campus. They are designed to provide comprehensive, non-emergency care outside of hospital inpatient services, often combining diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive functions in one location.

Typical features include a range of specialty clinics (such as internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, dermatology, ENT, and ophthalmology), diagnostic laboratories, imaging services, and minor procedures. Many polyclinics also offer rehabilitation, mental health services, vaccinations, and on-site pharmacies, with primary care teams coordinating referrals and follow-up.

Polyclinics can be publicly funded or privately operated and may be standalone centers or part of a hospital or municipal health system. In some countries they are the main outpatient arm of the healthcare system, while in others they function as multi-specialty clinics attached to hospitals. The terminology varies by language, with terms such as polyclinic, policlinico, and poliklinik used in different regions.

Historically, polyclinics emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Europe and the Soviet Union as a model for delivering multi-disciplinary outpatient care. Today they exist in many regions, including parts of Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa, with diverse organizational arrangements and levels of integration with primary care.

Advantages include improved access to multiple specialties in a single visit, streamlined referrals, and potential efficiency gains. Challenges involve resource intensity, staffing, ensuring integrated care, patient navigation, and variability in quality or access across regions.

See also: primary care networks; hospital outpatient clinics.