Question

Which of the following statements is false in terms of the peculiarities of a hospital system?

• A. A hospital is a closed system which interacts within its environment.
• B. The boundaries separating the hospital system from other social systems are not clear.
• C. A hospital system has to be in a dynamic equilibrium with the wider social system.
• D. A hospital system is not an end in itself. It must function, as a part of the larger health care system.

Hint:

Almost all social organizations, including hospitals, schools, and businesses, are \textbf{open systems}. They cannot exist in isolation and are in constant exchange with their environment. A statement claiming such an organization is a "closed system" is almost always false.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understand the concept of "open" vs. "closed" systems in sociology. Step 1:

A closed system is self-contained and does not interact with its environment.
An open system constantly interacts with its environment, receiving inputs (patients, resources, information) and producing outputs (treated patients, health data).
Step 2: Evaluate each statement based on this understanding.
Step 2:

(A) This statement is contradictory and false. It claims the hospital is a "closed system" but then says it "interacts within its environment." An entity that interacts with its environment is, by definition, an open system. Hospitals are classic examples of open systems, as they are completely dependent on their environment for patients, staff, funding, supplies, and regulations.
(B) True. The boundaries are fuzzy. A hospital interacts with family systems, economic systems (insurance), political systems (government regulation), etc.
(C) True. A hospital must constantly adapt to changes in society (new diseases, technologies, patient expectations) to remain effective, which is a state of dynamic equilibrium.
(D) True. A hospital is one component (typically for secondary/tertiary care) within the broader health care system that includes primary care, public health, and preventative services.
Step 3: Identify the false statement.
Step 3: Statement (A) is false because a hospital is fundamentally an open system, not a closed one. The statement contradicts itself.