Health systems

Health Systems

Health systems (pronunciation: /ˈhɛlθ ˈsɪstəmz/) are the organizations, people, and actions whose primary intent is to promote, restore, or maintain health. This includes efforts to influence determinants of health as well as more direct health-improving activities.

Etymology

The term "health system" has been used in the medical community since the early 20th century. It is derived from the Old English "hǣlþ", meaning "health", and the Latin "systema", meaning "a whole compounded of several parts or members".

Related Terms

• Public Health: The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals.
• Healthcare: The maintenance and improvement of physical and mental health, primarily through the provision of medical services.
• Health Policy: The decisions, plans, and actions undertaken to achieve specific healthcare goals within a society.
• Healthcare Provider: An individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional, or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to individuals, families, or communities.
• Healthcare System: The organization of people, institutions, and resources that deliver health care services to meet the health needs of target populations.

See Also

• Healthcare Quality
• Healthcare Reform
• Healthcare Management
• Healthcare Administration

References

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