Health care
The word health care appears in a 2017 World Health Organization report describing global concentrations of physicians per 10,000 individuals. This definition covers the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of disease, illness, injury, and mental impairments. Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, midwifery, nursing, optometry, audiology, psychology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and athletic training all constitute this field. The term includes work done in providing primary care, secondary care, tertiary care, mental health care, and public health. Health professionals and allied health fields deliver these services to improve or maintain human health.
Primary care refers to the work of health professionals who act as a first point of consultation for all patients within the health care system. A general practitioner or family physician usually serves as such a professional. Another professional might be a licensed independent practitioner like a physiotherapist. In the United States, skin disorders accounted for 42.7% of reasons for accessing a physician according to the 2013 National Health Interview Survey. Secondary care includes acute care necessary for short periods during serious illness or injury. This care is often found in hospital emergency departments. Tertiary care involves specialized consultative health care for inpatients on referral from primary or secondary professionals. Examples include cancer management, neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, and plastic surgery.
Access to health care varies across countries, communities, and individuals due to social and economic conditions. Financial limitations such as insurance coverage create barriers for many people. Geographical and logistical barriers include additional transportation costs and the ability to take paid time off work. Sociocultural expectations and personal limitations like poor health literacy also restrict access. Lower cost-effectiveness thresholds can make health care more affordable by avoiding least effective procedures. Over 80 million Americans have taken time off their primary employment to care for a loved one. These factors negatively affect the use of medical services and overall outcomes including mortality rates.
There are generally five primary methods of funding health care systems: general taxation, social health insurance, voluntary private insurance, out-of-pocket payments, and donations to health charities. In most countries, there is a mix of all five models that varies over time. The United States healthcare industry accounted for 18% of gross domestic product in 2020. OECD countries spent an average of 9.3 percent of GDP on health care in 2011. The US spent 17.7% or $8,508 per capita while Switzerland spent 11% but achieved higher life expectancy at 82.8 years. For every extra $1,000 spent on health care in OECD countries, life expectancy falls by 0.4 years according to analysis from 2017.
An efficient health care system contributes significantly to a country's economy, development, and industrialization. The worldwide eradication of smallpox in 1980 was declared by the WHO as the first disease eliminated through deliberate interventions. Health services research leads to greater efficiency and equitable delivery of interventions. The Commonwealth Fund analysis shows a clear correlation between worse quality and higher spending in the United States where around 18% of GDP is spent on health care. All OECD countries have achieved universal or almost universal health coverage except the US and Mexico. Life expectancy in total population at birth exceeded 80 years for the first time ever in 2011 across these nations.
The management and administration of health care are vital to service delivery. National or state authorities typically regulate professional practice and institution operation through appropriate regulatory bodies. Most countries have credentialing staff who document certification or licensing of health workers. Health information technology involves computer hardware and software dealing with storage, retrieval, sharing, and use of health data. Electronic health records contain comprehensive medical history that may include records from multiple providers. Personal health records maintain private medical histories for individual use. Health information exchange allows professionals and patients to securely share vital medical information electronically.
Common questions
What is the definition of health care according to a 2017 World Health Organization report?
Health care covers the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of disease, illness, injury, and mental impairments. This field includes medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, midwifery, nursing, optometry, audiology, psychology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and athletic training.
When did the worldwide eradication of smallpox occur as declared by the WHO?
The worldwide eradication of smallpox occurred in 1980. The World Health Organization declared this event as the first disease eliminated through deliberate interventions.
How much of the gross domestic product did the United States healthcare industry account for in 2020?
The United States healthcare industry accounted for 18% of gross domestic product in 2020. In contrast, OECD countries spent an average of 9.3 percent of GDP on health care in 2011.
Which skin disorders percentage was recorded in the 2013 National Health Interview Survey regarding physician access?
Skin disorders accounted for 42.7% of reasons for accessing a physician according to the 2013 National Health Interview Survey. This data highlights common conditions treated within primary care systems.
What life expectancy did Switzerland achieve despite spending 11% of its GDP on health care?
Switzerland achieved a higher life expectancy at 82.8 years while spending 11% of its GDP on health care. This outcome contrasts with the US where over 18% of GDP is spent but life expectancy remains lower.