Health is a fundamental human right. As such, everyone has the right to enjoy the highest attainable health standard, regardless of race, religion, political conviction, or socioeconomic status. The concept of health has been endorsed by numerous nation states, who are legally obliged to provide for health-related issues and protect the public from deterioration. While the concept of health has several important components, it is often contested. In the absence of a clear definition of health, it may be difficult to promote health in an appropriate manner.
In addition to focusing on individual health, public health is influenced by the environment and the built and social environments in which we live. Clean water, fresh air, adequate housing, and safe communities and roads contribute to good health. Insufficient access to healthy recreation, natural areas, and other leisure activities in the neighborhood, a person’s quality of life is negatively affected. A lack of public health activities, such as community recreation spaces, can also reduce personal satisfaction and lead to an increase in obesity and other chronic diseases.
A health system is a collection of hospitals, doctors, and other entities that work together. The definition of a health system varies, but it is generally defined as a group of organizations that are connected to a single hospital through common ownership. The definition also excludes horizontally integrated health systems, which can include community-based physicians as well as hospital organizations. The concept of health system varies widely, but the following elements are required for each type of health system.
The social determinants of health are the conditions in which a person is born, grows, and lives. These conditions are shaped by the distribution of resources in a society and are often reflected in public policies. They are the underlying factors of health inequity. Healthy people 2020 addresses these issues head-on and is intended to be a comprehensive framework for health improvement. This strategy must address the social determinants of health as a core component of public health policy.
Tribal societies don’t guarantee health care to all their population, but it is possible to find medical care. The legal frameworks of health care systems are established by individual governments, but often they are augmented by international organizations. The characteristics of these systems determine the quality of medical care that a person receives. These include: How accessible is healthcare? Who’s covered by health insurance? Does a health system promote access to information for the poorest members of society?
Health care providers remain cautious about the new payment model, as they worry that it won’t reflect patient heterogeneity sufficiently. Further, they worry about lack of accurate cost data at the condition level. These concerns are legitimate, and are inherent in any reimbursement model, but will diminish over time as the system becomes more sophisticated. As the system matures, providers will be encouraged to embrace health care bundles as a means of growing volume and improving value.
