Clinic businesses in Zambia

A clinic is a healthcare facility that is primarily devoted to the care of patients. In contrast to larger hospitals that offer specialised treatments and admit patients for overnight stays, clinics cover the primary health care needs of populations in communities. They can be privately owned or publicly managed and funded. You will find a number of clinics in Zambia on this site of international standards and a clean and comfortable family practice environment. Most clinics are able to cater for basic medical needs and have a fully-functional laboratory with onsite diagnostics, helpful pharmacists and a well-stocked pharmacy, as well as in-patient facilities.

Types of clinics in Zambia

Clinics in Zambia offer outpatients medical treatment, checkups or advice for their health. They are very convenient as they are often situated in rural areas where hospitals are not close by. Most community clinics offer care at lower costs than hospitals or other facilities. If you need a specialist clinic it may well cost you a lot more.

It is important to know what type of service, care, or doctor you need, considering the fact that no one wants to waste time or money going from one to the other until you find the right one.

A clinic can also be privately functioned or publicly handled and financed, and it can characteristically cover the primary health care needs of populations in local communities. Clinics are frequently linked with a general medical practice, run by one or several general practitioners. Some clinics are also operated in-house by employers or government organizations.

Free clinics in Zambia

Free clinics are volunteer-based and they offer medical, dental and other basic health services. They are low-cost health care facilities and sometimes also offer care free of charge to people who qualify for it and meet the requirements for such an allowance. They offer services whether they receive payment or not and are tax-exempt. Acute, primary, and chronic care are offered at these clinics. They do not offer services for developing conditions and will refer these to other clinics, hospitals, or doctors. Not all free clinics have the same setup or services. Some may have dental care services and/or pharmacies, but not necessarily.

General outpatient clinics in Zambia

These clinics are general practice facilities and they are run by specialists from different areas of medical practice. These outpatient clinics are commonly found in rural areas where they cater for the local communities. They are a little different from free clinics, as their services and treatments will very likely be more expensive than those of the free clinics. They offer acute, primary, and ongoing care. Not all these types of clinics offer the same services and their payment options and methods are also not the same. The setup is determined by the area, the doctors involved, and what the needs of the community are. Many of these clinics tend to take larger health insurance plans as a payment option.

Specialist clinics in Zambia

These clinics are exactly what the name implies, offering treatments for specific conditions, body parts or illnesses. These clinics are often quite expensive because of the specialised nature of the care and the staff. The doctors and nurses here have spent many years studying and practising medicine and you will have to pay for this expertise. These clinics deal with the diagnosis and treatment of the conditions that they specialise in. Examples of specialist clinics include rehabilitation clinics, fertility clinics, family planning clinics, and prosthesis clinics.

Convenient care clinics in Zambia

Convenient care clinics are those you find in a pharmacy or supermarket, commonly known as retail-based. These clinics are cheaper to visit for basic treatments like colds and flu. The services and treatments available at these clinics are limited. Nurse practitioners generally work at these clinics. Most of these nurses are not specialists but have general knowledge and training to deal with a large, but limited spectrum of issues. Services like vaccinations, preventative care, and physical exams are offered. You can also have your blood pressure taken and have an HIV test, or a test for insulin or cholesterol levels. There are over a thousand of these clinics across Zambia. They are very convenient to visit as they are in the centre of where you would buy groceries or go for other errands. If you are given a prescription, it is very easy to just walk around the corner and buy your medicine from the pharmacy.