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Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health professionals and allied health fields.
The function of clinics differs from country to country. For instance, a local general practice run by a single general practitioner provides primary health care and is usually run as a for-profit business by the owner, whereas a government-run specialist clinic may provide subsidized or specialized [dubious – discuss] health care.
A health system, health care system or healthcare system is an organization of people, institutions, and resources that delivers health care services to meet the health needs of target populations. There is a wide variety of health systems around the world, with as many histories and organizational structures as there are countries.
Homecare (home care, in-home care), also known as domiciliary care, personal care or social care, is health care or supportive care provided in the individual home where the patient or client is living, generally focusing on paramedical aid by professional caregivers, assistance in daily living for ill, disabled or elderly people, or a combination thereof.
Universal health care is a broad concept that has been implemented in several ways. The common denominator for all such programs is some form of government action aimed at extending access to health care as widely as possible and setting minimum standards. Most implement universal health care through legislation, regulation, and taxation.
A district hospital typically is the major health care facility in its region, with large numbers of beds for intensive care, critical care, and long-term care. In California, "district hospital" refers specifically to a class of healthcare facility created shortly after World War II to address a shortage of hospital beds in many local communities.
Health care quality is the degree to which health care services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes. [2] Quality of care plays an important role in describing the iron triangle of health care relationships between quality, cost, and accessibility of health care within a community. [3]
The Health Capital Theory underpins the importance of preventive care across the lifecycle and provides a framework for understanding the variances in health and health care that are experienced. It treats health as a stock that provides direct utility. Health depreciates with age and the aging process can be countered through health investments.