care (or healthcare) is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of nurse (such as in the United Kingdom), a clinical officer (such as in disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in parts of Africa), or an Ayurvedic or other traditional medicine humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, professional (such as in parts of Asia). Depending on the nature of chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other the health condition, patients may then be referred for secondary or care providers. It refers to the work done in providing primary care, tertiary care. secondary care and tertiary care, as well as in public health. Primary care involves the widest scope of health care, including all ages of patients, patients of all socioeconomic and geographic Access to health care varies across countries, groups and individuals, origins, patients seeking to maintain optimal health, and patients largely influenced by social and economic conditions as well as the with all manner of acute and chronic physical, mental and social health policies in place. Countries and jurisdictions have different health issues, including multiple chronic diseases. Consequently, a policies and plans in relation to the personal and population-based primary care practitioner must possess a wide breadth of knowledge health care goals within their societies. Health care systems are in many areas. Continuity is a key characteristic of primary care, as organizations established to meet the health needs of target patients usually prefer to consult the same practitioner for routine populations. Their exact configuration varies from country to check-ups and preventive care, health education, and every time country. In some countries and jurisdictions, health care planning is they require an initial consultation about a new health problem. The distributed among market participants, whereas in others planning International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) is a standardized is made more centrally among governments or other coordinating tool for understanding and analyzing information on interventions in bodies. In all cases, according to the World Health Organization primary care by the reason for the patient visit.[8] (WHO), a well-functioning health care system requires a robust Common chronic illnesses usually treated in primary care may financing mechanism; a well-trained and adequately-paid workforce; include, for example: hypertension, diabetes, asthma, COPD, reliable information on which to base decisions and policies; and depression and anxiety, back pain, arthritis or thyroid dysfunction. well maintained facilities and logistics to deliver quality medicines Primary care also includes many basic maternal and child health care and technologies.[1] services, such as family planning services and vaccinations. In context of global population ageing, with increasing numbers of Health care can form a significant part of a country's economy. In older adults at greater risk of chonic non-communicable diseases, 2008, the health care industry consumed an average of 9.0 percent rapidly increasing demand for primary care services is expected of the gross domestic product (GDP) across the most developed around the world, in both developed and developing OECD countries.[2] The United States (16.0%), France (11.2%), and countries.[9][10] The World Health Organization attributes the Switzerland (10.7%) were the top three spenders. provision of essential primary care as an integral component of an inclusive primary health care strategy.[6] Health care is conventionally regarded as an important determinant Secondary care in promoting the general health and wellbeing of peoples around the world. An example of this is the worldwide eradication of Secondary care is the health care services provided by medical smallpox in 1980—declared by the WHO as the first disease in specialists and other health professionals who generally do not have human history to be completely eliminated by deliberate health care first contact with patients, for example, cardiologists, urologists and interventions.[3] dermatologists. Contents It includes acute care: necessary treatment for a short period of time [hide] for a brief but serious illness, injury or other health condition, such as in a hospital emergency department. It also includes skilled [edit] Health care delivery attendance during childbirth, intensive care, and medical imaging See also: Health care providers services. Primary care may be provided in community health centres. The "secondary care" is sometimes used synonymously with "hospital care". However many secondary care providers do not The delivery of modern health care depends on groups of trained necessarily work in hospitals, such as psychiatrists or professionals and paraprofessionals coming together as physiotherapists, and some primary care services are delivered interdisciplinary teams.[4][5] This includes professionals in medicine, within hospitals. Depending on the organization and policies of the nursing, dentistry and allied health, plus many others such as public national health system, patients may be required to see a primary health practitioners, community health workers and assistive care provider for a referral before they can access secondary care. personnel, who systematically provide personal and population- For example in the United States, which operates under a mixed based preventive, curative and rehabilitative care services. market health care system, some physicians might voluntarily limit their practice to secondary care by requiring patients to see a While the definitions of the various types of health care vary primary care provider first, or this restriction may be imposed under depending on the different cultural, political, organizational and the terms of the payment agreements in private/group health disciplinary perspectives, there appears to be some consensus that insurance plans. In other cases medical specialists may see patients primary care constitutes the first element of a continuing health without a referral, and patients may decide whether self-referral is care process, that may also include the provision of secondary and preferred. tertiary levels of care.[6] In the United Kingdom and Canada, patient self-referral to a medical Primary care is the term for the health care services which play a specialist for secondary care is rare as prior referral from another role in the local community. It refers to the work of health care physician (either a primary care physician or another specialist) is professionals who act as a first point of consultation for all patients considered necessary, regardless of whether the funding is from within the health care system.[6][7] Such a professional would private insurance schemes or national health insurance. usually be a primary care physician, such as a general practitioner or Allied health professionals, such as occupational therapists, speech family physician. Depending on the locality, health system therapists, and dietitians, also generally work in secondary care, organization, and sometimes at the patient's discretion, they may accessed through either patient self-referral or through physician see another health care professional first, such as a pharmacist, a referral. [edit] Tertiary care For example, pharmaceuticals and other medical devices are the The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, leading high technology exports of Europe and the United United Kingdom is a specialist neurological hospital. States.[15][16] The United States dominates the biopharmaceutical Tertiary care is specialized consultative health care, usually for field, accounting for three-quarters of the world’s biotechnology inpatients and on referral from a primary or secondary health revenues.[17][15] professional, in a facility that has personnel and facilities for [edit] Health care research advanced medical investigation and treatment, such as a tertiary See also: Medical research, List of medical journals, and List of referral hospital.[11] health care journals Examples of tertiary care services are cancer management, neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, plastic surgery, treatment for severe The quantity and quality of many health care interventions are burns, advanced neonatology services, palliative, and other complex improved through the results of science, such as advanced through medical and surgical interventions.[12] the medical model of health which focuses on the eradication of [edit] Quaternary care illness through diagnosis and effective treatment. Many important advances have been made through health research, including The term quaternary care is also used sometimes as an extension of biomedical research and pharmaceutical research. They form the tertiary care in reference to medicine of advanced levels which are basis of evidence-based medicine and evidence-based practice in highly specialized and not widely accessed. Experimental medicine health care delivery. and some types of uncommon diagnostic or surgical procedures are For example, in terms of pharmaceutical research and development considered quaternary care. These services are usually only offered spending, Europe spends a little less than the United States in a limited number of regional or national health care (€22.50bn compared to €27.05bn in 2006). The United States centres.[12][13] accounts for 80% of the world's research and development spending [edit] Home and community care in biotechnology.[15][17] See also: Public health In addition, the results of health services research can lead to greater efficiency and equitable delivery of health care Many types of health care interventions are delivered outside of interventions, as advanced through the social model of health and health facilities. They include many interventions of public health disability, which emphasizes the societal changes that can be made interest, such as food safety surveillance, distribution of condoms to make population healthiers.[18] Results from health services and needle-exchange programmes for the prevention of research often form the basis of evidence-based policy in health transmissible diseases. care systems. [edit] Health care financing They also include the services of professionals in residential and community settings in support of self care, home care, long-term general taxation to the state, county or municipality care, assisted living, treatment for substance use disorders, and social health insurance other types of health and social care services. voluntary or private health insurance [edit] Related sectors out-of-pocket payments For general descriptions of health care financing and delivery donations to health charities systems by country, please see Health care system Health care extends beyond the delivery of services to patients, In most countries, the financing of health care services features a encompassing many related sectors, and set within a bigger picture mix of all five models, but the exact distribution varies across of financing and governance structures. countries and over time within countries. In all countries and Health care industry jurisdictions, there are many topics in the politics and evidence that See also: Health care industry and Health economics can influence the decision of a government, private sector business A group of Chilean 'Damas de Rojo' volunteering at their local or other group to adopt a specific health policy regarding the hospital. financing structure. The health care industry incorporates several sectors that are dedicated to providing health care services and products. As a basic For example, social health insurance is where a nation's entire framework for defining the sector, the United Nations' International population is eligible for health care coverage, and this coverage and Standard Industrial Classification categorizes health care as generally the services provided are regulated. In almost every jurisdiction with consisting of hospital activities, medical and dental practice a government-funded health care system, a parallel private, and activities, and "other human health activities". The last class involves usually for-profit, system is allowed to operate. This is sometimes activities of, or under the supervision of, nurses, midwives, referred to as two-tier health care or universal health care. physiotherapists, scientific or diagnostic laboratories, pathology [edit] Health care administration and regulation clinics, residential health facilities, or other allied health professions, See also: Healthcare provider requisites e.g. in the field of optometry, hydrotherapy, medical massage, yoga The management and administration of health care is another sector therapy, music therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, vital to the delivery of health care services. In particular, the practice chiropody, homeopathy, chiropractics, acupuncture, etc.[14] of health professionals and operation of health care institutions is typically regulated by national or state/provincial authorities In addition, according to industry and market classifications, such as through appropriate regulatory bodies for purposes of quality the Global Industry Classification Standard and the Industry assurance.[20] Most countries have credentialing staff in regulatory Classification Benchmark, health care includes many categories of boards or health departments who document the certification or medical equipment, instruments and services as well as licensing of health workers and their work history.[21] biotechnology, diagnostic laboratories and substances, and drug [edit] Health care information technology manufacturing and delivery. Health care is growing rapidly in terms of the quantity and quality of data that is collected on a daily basis. Problem is that this data is growing faster than the provider can analyze it. As the world’s population increases so will this problem. The health care providers Music therapist are facing the challenge of not only providing the best care for their Nuclear medicine technologist patients, but doing it in a cost effective method to insure that they Occupational therapist can provide services that are affordable. This is where Business Optometrist Intelligence comes in. Business intelligence is the extraction of Orthotist / Prosthetist pertinent data from the massive data collected so for in health care. Orthoptist There are three categories of data that are mined[22], they are: Osteopath Some of this data is easy to extract and readily available to healthcare administrators, however the patient or clinical data is not as easy to Extract, Transform and Load. The reason that this data is more difficult to extract is that the data itself is more subjective than Paramedic calculated. The data comes from notes and observations and to Pedorthist extract it properly the data needs to be considered within its Perfusionist context.[23] Personal trainer The process of analyzing health care data is a monumental task and Pharmacist one that must be done properly and continually. For these reason it Pharmacy technician becomes very costly and consumes a large number of IT resource Phlebotomist hours. Physiotherapy rofessions Radiation therapist Radiologic Technologist Definitions of allied health professions vary across countries and Rehabilitation counsellor contexts, but generally indicate that they are health professions Respiratory therapist distinct from medicine, dentistry, and nursing. Some definitions only Speech and language pathologist include health care providers that require registration by law to Surgical technologist practice, but usually all allied health professions that require a post- Recreational therapist secondary degree or higher qualification are included. Ultrasound technologist

Depending on the country and local health care system, a limited All professional areas ascribed before belong to the ever-growing subset of the following professions (professional areas) may be group of allied health professionals and their subspecialties. The represented, and may be regulated: precise titles, roles, and requisites of the allied health professions may vary considerably from country to country. For example, the Anesthesia technician National Council for Homeopathy of Pakistan[3] and the Central Athletic Trainer Council of Homeopathy of India[4] recognize as allied health Audiologist professionals those who qualify with a four-year university degree in Bioengineer the discipline, whereas in other countries the practice of Biomedical scientist homeopathy is not subject to professional regulation. Cardiographic technician Environmental health officer Cardiovascular technologist Clinical laboratory scientist Clinical officer Clinical psychologist Dental hygienist Diagnostic medical sonographist Dietitian / Nutritionist Electrocardiogram technician Epidemiologist/Biostatistician Exercise physiologist Health care administrator

Health coach Health information technician Health inspector Kinesiotherapist Licensed Practical Nurse Massage therapist Medical assistant Medical coder Neurophysiologist/END Technologist Medical dosimetrist Medical physicist Medical laboratory scientist Medical radiation scientist