Hierarchy of Hospitals in Islamic Civilization

Hierarchy of Hospitals in Islamic Civilization

physicians and medical practitioners are of the most significant social classes that have contributed numerous services to Islamic civilization. Although this social class should not be considered among social leaders, they nonetheless held a high rank within Islamic society; in fact, all classes and individuals in the community—from sultans and rulers to the common people—had a pressing need for physicians. Perhaps it is due to this increasing demand that hospitals were established at the dawn of Islamic history as one of the cornerstones of social life in Islam. 

In Islamic hospitals, multiple ranks of physicians were engaged in providing services; among these ranks were the chief physician (Sā'ūr), the pharmacist (Ṣaydālānī), the wine-bearer (Sharābdār), and the supervisor (Nāẓir) of the market inspector (Muḥtasib). The chief physician, as the most important authority in the hospital, occupied the highest position, followed by the pharmacist or head of the pharmacy, who had several apprentices learning the medical sciences under him. Additionally, the supervisor and market inspector monitored the conduct of physicians and hospital staff in various ways. 

Shideh / M. Sadeghani