Health care

Health care is all about helping people stay healthy and get better when they are sick or hurt. It includes preventing illnesses, diagnosing problems, treating diseases, and helping people recover. Health care is provided by many different professionals, such as doctors, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists. They work in hospitals, clinics, and other health facilities to care for people.

Access to health care can be different for everyone, depending on where they live, how much money they have, and other factors. Some people might face challenges getting the care they need because of these reasons. Good health care systems aim to make sure everyone can get the help they need when they need it.

Health care is very important for communities and countries. It helps people live longer, healthier lives and can even help eliminate diseases. For example, thanks to health care efforts, a dangerous disease called smallpox was completely eliminated worldwide in 1980. Health care plays a big role in keeping people well and supporting societies to thrive.

Delivery

See also: Health professionals

Modern health care relies on teams of trained professionals and paraprofessionals working together. This includes doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists, nurses, dentists, midwives and allied health workers, as well as many others such as public health practitioners, community health workers and assistive personnel. These professionals work together to provide care that helps prevent illness, treat diseases, and support recovery.

Health care can be public or private, and it includes many types of services. Primary care is the first step in getting help for health problems, provided by professionals like family doctors or nurses. It covers a wide range of health needs for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Primary care

Main article: Primary health care

See also: Primary care, Ambulatory care, and Urgent care

Primary care is the first place people go when they need help with their health. It is provided by professionals such as family doctors, general practitioners, or family physicians. Other providers can include physiotherapists, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners. Depending on the situation, patients might first see a pharmacist or nurse. If needed, they can be sent to secondary or tertiary care.

Primary care is available in many places, such as Urgent care centers where people can get same-day help. It covers a broad range of health issues, from routine check-ups to treating chronic illnesses. This care is continuous, meaning patients often see the same doctor for ongoing health needs.

Secondary care

Secondary care is for more serious and short-term health issues. It often happens in hospitals, like in an emergency department. This type of care includes help during childbirth, intensive care, and medical imaging.

Some specialists, such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, and dental specialists, also provide secondary care. In some countries, people need a referral from a primary care doctor to see these specialists. In others, people can choose to see them directly.

Tertiary care

Tertiary care is highly specialized medical care for complex health conditions. It is usually provided in special hospitals and requires referrals from primary or secondary care doctors. Examples include cancer treatment, neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, and advanced surgeries.

Quaternary care

Quaternary care is an advanced level of specialized medical care. It includes experimental treatments and very rare medical procedures. These services are only available in certain regional or national health centers.

Home and community care

See also: Public health

Many health care services are provided outside of hospitals. These include public health programs like food safety checks and programs to prevent diseases. Professionals also offer support at home or in the community, helping with self-care, home care, and long-term care.

Community services can help people regain mobility and independence, for example, through prostheses, orthotics, or wheelchairs. With many older adults needing support, health care systems focus on helping seniors live independently at home. This includes assistance with daily activities and transportation.

With concerns about childhood obesity, many health services work with schools to teach children about healthy eating, physical activity, and building a positive self-image.

Ratings

Health care ratings are used to measure the quality of health care services. Organizations, nonprofits, consumer groups, and media create reports to show how well health care is provided.

Health system

A health system is the way people, places, and resources work together to give health care to those who need it.

The healthcare industry includes many parts that work to give people health care services and products. This can include places like hospitals, doctors’ offices, and labs, as well as people like nurses and scientists. For example, medicines and medical tools are important products made in places like Europe and the United States.

Research helps make health care better. Scientists study ways to diagnose and treat illnesses, which helps doctors give the best care possible. Research also looks at how to make health care fair and easy for everyone.

Access to health care and financing

Access to health care can differ a lot between countries, communities, and individuals. This variation is shaped by social and economic conditions, as well as health policies. Getting health care services means using personal health services when needed to achieve the best health results. Things that affect access to health care include money problems (like insurance), geographical and logistical issues (like travel costs and taking time off work), sociocultural views, and personal challenges (like trouble talking with health workers, not understanding health information well, or having little money).

Financing

See also: Health economics, Health spending as percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by country, List of countries by total health expenditure per capita, Universal health care, and Health equity

There are five main ways to pay for health care systems:

1. General taxation to the state, county or municipality
2. Social health insurance
3. Voluntary or private health insurance
4. Out-of-pocket payments
5. Donations to health charities

In most countries, a mix of all five models is used, but this mix changes between countries and over time. Besides how health care is paid for, an important question is how much money to spend on health care. For comparison, this is often shown as the percentage of GDP spent on health care. In OECD countries, for every extra $1000 spent on health care, life expectancy goes down by 0.4 years. This shows that spending more money does not always mean better health outcomes.

In the United States, the health care industry made up 18% of the country's total economy in 2020, making it one of the largest parts of the U.S. economy.

Administration and regulation

See also: Health professional requisites

Managing and organizing health care is very important for delivering health services. Health professionals and health care places are usually regulated by national or state groups to make sure quality is good. Most countries have special boards or health departments that check the certification or licensing of health workers and their work history.

Health information technology

Further information: Health information technology, Health information management, Health informatics, eHealth, and Health technology

Health information technology (HIT) is about using computers to store, find, share, and use health information to help make decisions.

Health information technology includes:

• Electronic health record (EHR) – An EHR has a patient's full medical history, and may include information from many doctors.
• Electronic Medical Record (EMR) – An EMR has the usual medical information collected in one doctor's office.
• Health information exchange (HIE) – This lets health workers and patients share a patient's important medical information safely online.
• Medical practice management software (MPM) – This helps make daily tasks easier in a medical office. It's also called practice management software or practice management system (PMS).
• Personal health record (PHR) – A PHR is a patient's medical history kept privately for personal use.