# hospitalization

/ˌhɑspɪtəɫəˈzeɪʃən/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hospitalization
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. medical admission or stay

noun · CEFR B2

the act of being sent to a hospital for medical care, or the time you spend staying there.

For teachers: the admission of a patient to a hospital for treatment, or the period during which a patient remains under hospital care.

- His condition was serious enough that it required immediate hospitalization for several days.
- The study tracked the rate of emergency hospitalization among elderly patients who lacked access to consistent primary care services.

### 2. insurance coverage

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Technical

a type of insurance that pays for the costs of staying in a hospital.

For teachers: insurance coverage specifically designed to indemnify a patient against the expenses incurred during a hospital stay.

- You should check if your new job's benefits package includes full hospitalization.
- The policyholder was surprised to find that their hospitalization did not cover the costs of private room upgrades or elective procedures.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun in this context.

## Examples

- The patient required immediate hospitalization after the accident.
- Doctors recommended hospitalization to monitor her heart rate more closely over the next forty-eight hours.
- While outpatient care is becoming more common for minor procedures, severe respiratory infections often necessitate hospitalization to ensure access to specialized equipment and round-the-clock nursing care.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.
