The expression health-care is the provision of medical facilities plus the general prevention and management of illness using professional medical resources. The World Health Organizations definition is a little different and refers more to the prevention of sickness and facilities to encourage this, in addition to intervention that should be available to a single person as well as a whole population. The organized provision of such facilities may constitute a health care system.

Early before the phrase health care 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. Around the world today, most countries have a system in place to ensure that everyone receives healthcare irrespective of their social standing or financial situation. This first begun in the United Kingdom a few years after the end of World War 2 in 1948, and became the first healthcare service set up and run by a administration.

Alternatively a system of compulsory government funded health insurance with nominal fees can be provided, as with Italy, which, according to The World Health Organization, has the second-best health system in the world. Canada and Australia have both started similar systems and have been running since 19.6 and the 1970′s respectively both going by the name of Medicare. general health care contrasts to the systems like healthcare in The USA or South Africa, though South Africa is one of the many nations attempting health care reform. Individuals who work in health care include all professionals whose job it is to preserve life, treat and cure illness and try to better the health of people. The collective expression for this is the health care industry but the word industry may not necessarily be the best one to use.

The health care industry is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing industries generally consuming at least 10 percent of gross domestic product of most developed nations, healthcare can form an enormous part of a country’s economy. The only world nation to differ is The USA with over 15 percent according to figures published in 2003 but it is set to rise to almost twenty percent by the year 2016.

1 Comment »

1. 

   The above post is very informative and portrays a true and definitive picture of the health care industry.
   _______________
   Silver Water

   Comment by Diane boyle — May 7, 2010 @ 5:18 am

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