Health care and social assistance

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing health care services, directly or indirectly, to ambulatory patients. Health practitioners in this subsector provide out-patient services, in which the facilities and equipment are not usually the most significant part of the production process.

This subsector comprises establishments, licensed as hospitals, primarily engaged in providing diagnostic and medical treatment services, and specialized accommodation services to in-patients. These establishments have an organized medical staff of physicians, nurses and other health professionals, technologists and technicians. Hospitals use specialized facilities and equipment that form a significant and integral part of the production process. Hospitals may also provide a wide variety of out-patient services as a secondary activity.

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing residential care combined with either nursing, supervisory or other types of care as required by the residents. In this subsector, the facilities are a significant part of the production process and the care provided is a mix of health and social services, with the health component being largely nursing services.

This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing a wide variety of assistance services directly to their clients. These services do not include residential or accommodation services, except on a short-stay basis.