Health care encompasses a wide range of services, from doctors and nurses to therapists and pharmacists. It also includes medical equipment, hospitals and clinics. It’s one of the most regulated industries, and there’s a lot at stake — including a patient’s ability to get access to care when needed.
Health systems differ worldwide. Some countries provide free-at-the-point-of-entry healthcare, such as the United Kingdom’s National Health Service and Canada’s Medicare, which are funded by taxes. Others focus on private insurance, with access to public programs for lower-income individuals. Still others place more emphasis on community wellness and prevention, and some are experimenting with blockchain technology to track medical records and increase efficiency.
The success of a health system is often measured by its ability to prevent or cure disease, which may be achieved through routine screenings, early diagnosis and prompt treatment. However, the quality of care a patient receives can be affected by many other factors, such as how long he or she must wait to see a doctor, the amount of time spent in a hospital and the quality of interactions with physicians and other staff members.
A key aspect of a health system is whether it provides access to affordable, high-quality healthcare for everyone who needs it. According to the World Health Organization, many people are missing out on important care because they cannot afford to pay for it (WHO, 2015). Some of them forgo needed treatments or do not have access to appropriate facilities. Others have to wait too long for diagnostic tests or for referrals. And they are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, which are expensive and disabling if uncontrolled (Lurie et al., 2000).
In the United States, we’re a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to healthcare. Most Americans get private insurance through work or on the individual marketplace; a large number are covered by state-managed Medicaid for the poorest citizens; and some use Medicare, a federal program for older adults.
Our system is often criticized for being too expensive, and it does lag behind other countries in some areas of care, such as access to care and quality of care. But it has some advantages, too. For example, it offers strong incentives to innovate on medical technology, which is advancing at breakneck speeds and has saved millions of lives around the world (WHO, 2015).
If you’re shopping for health coverage, consider the different options available to you. Your employer’s benefits department should have a summary of your plan’s costs and coverages. You can also find online marketplaces that let you compare costs and coverages of various plans. In addition, look at your current plan’s network. If you’re part of a health maintenance organization, for instance, it will have a set network of doctors and clinics that you can visit; if you go out-of-network, you’ll pay more. You’ll want a plan that will allow you to see the doctors you prefer, and it should help you budget for medical expenses.