The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is the number one teaching hospital and national referral centre. It receives patients from all the regions in Ghana and some countries in the West African sub-region.

As a referral hospital, prospective patients are required to observe the protocols for the admission of patients. The protocols require patients to have been seen at a primary or secondary level Facility (Hospital/Clinic) before they are referred to the appropriate clinic for advanced tertiary care. By referral, it means the medical doctor seeing the patient clearly describing the synopsis of the condition in writing.

Korle Bu has lie-in wards for inpatients who are seen and detained for further management. Patients are required to pay for the services but subscribers of the National Health Insurance Scheme who are in good-standing usually do not have to pay for many of the services.