Health care, or healthcare, whichever term you prefer, is the prevention, treatment and management of sickness using the services offered by the medical, nursing and allied health professions. Although The World Health Organization would like to see the term extended to include all individuals whether an individual or whole populations. Jointly, this provision of medical facilities would be known as a healthcare system. Like many people, you may not have the time or money to invest in a body cleanse program through an alternative health care practitioner.
Early on before the phrase healthcare was popular, the English speaking countries called it just plain medicine or more usually the health sector but it still meant the provision of a health service to treat and cure sickness and disease. In most developed countries and many developing countries health care is provided to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. Established in 1948, The National Health Service in the United Kingdom was the world’s first general health care system provided by government.
A system second to this, according to The World Health Organization is the one initiated in Italy where a compulsory system of insurance which the administration funds, but at a relatively low cost per individual, is used. Canada and Australia have both started similar systems and have been running since almost twenty and the 1970’s respectively both going by the name of Medicare. These systems are almost opposite to the systems presently provided in American and South Africa although there are huge changes taking place in the system used by South Africa. health care professionals are dedicated to preventing sickness and disease mainly, but also to treat and protect the long term health of their patients.
Worldwide, over recent decades, there has been a huge increase in the sum of money spent on healthcare and it is now one of the fastest growing sectors in every developed country with an average cost of 10 percent of the gross domestic product. Although in 2003 the healthcare costs paid to across the entire healthcare system, consumed 15.3 percent of the GDP of The USA, the largest of any country in the world and is anticipated to reach almost twenty percent of GDP by 2016.
In America there are 180 million Americans who want healthcare and a recent study showed that it was the number one worry of those seeking work. The steep rises in the health care system in America almost contributed to the bankruptcy of the giant car manufacturer General motors. It was only after negotiations with the unions to reduce certain health benefits and the subsequent sell off of its poorly performing finance division that stopped the unthinkable from taking place.
Healthcare has become an extremely fundamental issue to Americans one which employers must address to a work force which demands better health care benefits. Maybe it is time healthcare was looked at in a different way and perhaps called health preservation with an emphasis on fitness and health to ease the need for a top heavy health care system which is becoming a worldwide issue.
