Question

explain dimension that might be useful in comparing healthcare systems

Answer 1

Healthcare system could be explained as an organisation consisting of people(medical and non-medical), institution which work together to provide and meet the health care needs of a population in that area.

The healthcare system can be broadly divided based on the services provided and the level of care and capacity of the institute into the following categories:

• Primary
• Secondary
• Tertiary

The Various Dimensions that can be used to compare healthcare system could be as,

• Accessibility: Every member of the target population should have access to healthcare. This can be done by setting up Primary healthcare centres in rural and sub-urban areas to meet the basic and emergency needs. A state/ country fails if they are unable to give access to the basic healthcare needs of the population which should be a fundamental right and of paramount importance.

• Affordability: Imagine a city with huge hospitals and best in call facilities, but the citizens unable to make use of those facilities because they earn minimum or sometimes unfortunately, less than minimum wages. When you take a country like India for example, around 50 million people are estimated to fall under the below poverty line category due to out of pocket medical expenditures. How will the country or people or the economy flourish, if the majority of the population are struggling to make ends meet and not able to taken advantage of healthcare.

• Efficiency: The healthcare system consists of medical and non medical staff working together to help people make the best out of it. they work like a well oiled machine for the system to run smoothly and efficiently.

• Funding/Financing: The policy makers of the country should keep in mind that healthcare should also be considered one of the priorities in the human development along with the economic development of the country.Health sector should have enough budget to help the people who need it the most.

• Healthcare Delivery: Implementation of all the above to make the healthcare system a more acceptable and accessible system.