Healthcare and Medicine in Medieval Western Hospitals

Hospitals are an innovation dating back to Late Antiquity, and their proliferation in the Western world is closely tied to the advancements of Christianity and ecclesiastical institutions. Since their inception, hospitals have provided various forms of aid to various categories of destitute individuals, which could include medical treatments in line with Gospel precepts. However, for much of the Middle Ages, the majority of hospitals struggled to secure the services of medical practitioners on a permanent basis, albeit with some exceptions. Towards the end of the Middle Ages, though, the processes of medicalization within the realm of hospital care gained greater in-tensity and prevalence. This transformation was facilitated by the increased availability of both financial resources and proficient medical personnel, particularly physicians and surgeons trained in academic settings.