health care

social insurance for the ill and injured the preservation of mental and physical health by preventing or treating illness through services offered by the health profession

Health care or healthcare is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by the medical and allied health professions answers.com.The healthcare industry is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing industries, consuming over 10 percent of gross domestic product of most developed nations.Prior to the popularisation of the neologism ''healthcare'', English-speakers referred to ''medicine'' or to the ''health sector'' and spoke of the treatment and prevention of illness and disease.

Healthcare as an industry - The industry includes the delivery of health services by physiciandoctors and other allied healthallied health providers. Usually such services receive payment from the patient or from the patient's insurance company; although they may be government-financed (such as the National Health Service in the United Kingdom) or delivered by charitycharities or volunteers, particularly in poorer countries.Health care can form an enormous part of a country's economy. In 2003, health care costs paid to hospitals, physiciandoctors, nursing homes, diagnostic laboratories, pharmacypharmacies, medical device manufacturers and other components of the health care system, consumed 15.3 percent cms.hhs.gov of the GDP of the United States, the largest of any country in the world. In 2001, for the OECD countries the average was 8.4 percent oecd.org with the United States (13.9%), Switzerland (10.9%), and Germany (10.7%) being the top three.

Medical and social models of healthcare - The more generally accepted view of healthcare is that improvements result from advancements in medical science. The medical model of health focuses on the eradication of illness through diagnosis and effective treatment. In contrast the social model of health places emphasis on changes that can be made in society and in people's own lifestyles to make the population healthier. It defines illness from the point of view of the individual's functioning within their society rather than by monitoring for changes in biological or physiological signs.''See also Medical model of disability, Social model of disability, Preventive medicine.''

See also -

:category:Healthcare by countryHealthcare by country

Healthcare delivery

healthcare systemA politico-economic discussion on the delivery of health care. (healthcare system)

Primary health care

HIPAARecent American health care privacy rules. (HIPAA)

Medical informaticsElectronic health care information systems (Medical informatics)

National Health ServiceNational Health Service (UK).

External links -

eldis.org - HRC/Eldis Health Resource Guide New research and other resources on health in developing countries

USA-specific -

nndb.com - Health care company profiles at NNDB.

ericdigests.org - Students with Specialized Health Care Needs.

ericdigests.org - Health Care, Nutrition, and Goal One.

ericdigests.org - Education and Health Care Advocacy.

free-health-care.com - Free-health-care

best-home-remedies.com - Total health Care

houstonmedcenter.com - A Houston Guide to the Texas Medical Center

Reference -

Bond J. & Bond S. Title=Sociology and Healthcare Publisher=Churchill Livingstone Year=1994 ID=ISBN 0-443-04059-1 Category:Healthcare*id:Perawatan !kesehatande:Gesundheitswesenja :医療sv:Sjukvårdf i:Terveydenhuolto

SPACE Training
Training company, specialising in programmes for carers of children and adults with learning disabilities,or physical disabilities.
http://spacetraining.co.uk/

National Organization For Empowering Caregivers
Empowering Caregivers, www.care-givers.com was created to provide a safe, nurturing place for all family caregivers as well as professionals on an emotional and spiritual level. Expert columns feature well-known individuals in the fields of caregiving, self-help and empowerment. There is a monthly newsletter; journal exercises the Empowering Caregivers Community, which offers scheduled chats and forums/message boards. There is a caregiver’s spotlight, which honors a caregiver and caregiving site each month, inspiration, a wealth of resources, gear for purchasing and more. The site is an opportunity for all caregivers to move into forgiveness, to heal and open to the most important healing power there is: LOVE. Empowering Caregivers is under the umbrella of the National Organization For Empowering Caregivers,(NOFEC) www.nofec.org..
http://www.nofec.org/

Diabetes Book for Families and Children who Have a Diabetic in the Family
How can a complicated disease like diabetes be explained in language that is both simple and reassuring? This book does just that as it follows 7-year-old Abigail Ruby in her quest to understand her mom's diabetes. Great for parents or grandparents who want to share information about diabetes with an inquiring child.
http://www.diabetesinthefamily.com/

RHAS
Valuers and brokers of plant, machinery and equipment and all personal assets
http://www.rhas.biz/

St. Barnabas Hospital
St. Barnabas Hospital is the flagship of an expanding healthcare network located in the heart of the Bronx. Our hospital provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, and operates a 199-bed skilled nursing facility for long-term and subacute care. Outpatient services include a large network of primary care sites and community mental health centers, located throughout the Bronx.
http://www.stbarnabashospital.org

http://www.sandramartinproductions.com/
Sandra Martin Productions is a video production company specializing in educational videos relating to health care, aging, physical and mental disabilities, death and dying, and other topics.
http://www.sandramartinproductions.com/

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - AHRQ
Formerly the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Provides practical health care information, research findings, and data to help consumers, health providers, health insurers, researchers, and policymakers make informed decisions about health care issues.
http://www.ahcpr.gov/

Bureau of Primary Health Care
The BPHC assures that underserved and vulnerable people get the health care they need. It is one of four Bureaus of the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services.
http://www.bphc.hrsa.gov/

Joint Council on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
Since 1951, the Joint Commission evaluates and accredits nearly 17,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. An independent, not-for-profit organization, JCAHO is the nation's predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.
http://www.jcaho.org/