Standard reference

WHO Health Systems Strengthening Glossary (https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-systems-strengthening)

WHO uses primary/secondary/tertiary tiers as the common descriptive framework for health-system organisation, with many countries adding a quaternary tier for national referral or research hospitals. There is no single canonical URL listing the tiers as coded values; national health-facility registries apply the same tiering with local naming.

Values

Code Label Standard code Definition
primary Primary First-level contact for primary care, typically health posts, health centers, and dispensaries providing basic curative, preventive, and promotive services.
secondary Secondary District-level referral care, typically general or district hospitals with inpatient wards, surgery, and basic specialty services.
tertiary Tertiary Specialized referral care at regional or national level, including regional hospitals, teaching hospitals, and specialty hospitals.
quaternary Quaternary Highly specialized care, typically a national referral center, research hospital, or supraregional center providing advanced sub-specialty services.
unknown Unknown Facility tier not known or not classified in the source system.

Referenced by this vocabulary