Are You Concerned About Your Healthcare?

Health care, or healthcare, whichever term you prefer, is the prevention, intervention and management of illness using the services offered by the medical, nursing and allied health professions. Although The World Health Organization would like to see the expression extended to include all individuals whether an individual or whole populations. The organized provision of such services may constitute a healthcare system.

The term health care has not always been used though and prior to this is it was often just referred to medicine or the health sector but this was used more by English speaking countries. In most developed nations and many developing nations health care is provided to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. It was the UK that pioneered the first population based healthcare system back in 1948 called The National Health Service run by each consecutive government.

According to The WHO, a good alternative to this system is that in Italy where insurance for health is a compulsory but is a government funded service and possibly the second best around the world. Other examples are Medicare in Australia, established in the 1970s by the Labor administration, and by the same name Medicare in Canada, established between 19.6 and 1984. These systems are almost opposite to the systems currently provided in American and South Africa although there are huge changes taking place in the system used by South Africa. Individuals who work in healthcare include all professionals whose job it is to uphold life, treat and cure illness and try to better the health of people. The collective term for this is the healthcare industry but the word industry may not necessarily be the best one to use.

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 America, the largest of any country in the world and is expected to reach 19.6 percent of GDP by 2016.

This fact is highlighted by the large number of American citizens who have serious concerns about their health care, around one hundred eighty million to be precise, and the main worry for anyone seeking work in The USA. The steep rises in the health care system in The United States almost contributed to the bankruptcy of the giant car manufacturer General motors. In this example some hard Union negotiations, compromises and the closing down of their finance arm GMAC meant this action wasn’t required.

In The United States, the prime worry of employees is their companies health care plans, even above their salaries, such is the importance placed on this progressively costly service. One answer is to this world-wide problem is improve the general health and fitness of individuals generally so that this heavy reliance on medical care can be eased.