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Health Systems. Important to understand health systems because:. It’s how health services are delivered There’s a relationship between the effectiveness of the health system and the health of an individual Individuals and countries spend a considerable amount of their wealth/ gnp on health
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Important to understand health systems because: • It’s how health services are delivered • There’s a relationship between the effectiveness of the health system and the health of an individual • Individuals and countries spend a considerable amount of their wealth/gnp on health • Goal is to obtain best population health at the lowest possible cost
Functions Health System • raise money for health services • provide health services • pay for health services • participate in governance and regulation of health activities.
Health Systems • Include all those who play a role in improving health…. • Those who plan, regulate, and fund • $ that finances health care ..public, private, NGO • Service providers • Preventative • Clinical services – diagnosis, treatment • Those who train/educate health care providers • Producers/providers of equipment, supplies, meds…
Challenge to a developing country is • How to improve the health of a population as quickly and effectively as possible • Need to identify key/most significant health issues and develop strategies that are cost-effective and effective…..have a positive impact on a large number of people • E.g. bed nets, vaccination programs, water filtering with folded saris, ORS treatment for diarrheal diseases
Low Income countries that do well.. • Invest in nutrition, health, and education. • e.g. free primary education, national healthcare system… • Focus on improving people’s knowledge of hygiene and healthcare • washing hands • latrines way from homes and water supply • treating or filtering water • use of oral rehydration solutions to treat diarrheal diseases
Health Care System Based on • Access to quality healthcare is a basic human right • Should not be impacted by; • Age • Gender • Income • Occupation • Political or religious affiliation • ethnicity
WHO suggests three (3) goals for every health care system • Good health of the population • Responsiveness to the needs of the population • Fairness of the financial contributions…fairness of who pays
WHO components of Health System • See page 89….6 building blocks • Goal • High quality and safe health care for all • Care meets needs of individual • Financially fair – health care affordable to all • Efficient system…get as much better health as possible for $ spent
Health systems provide: • Prevention • Diagnosis • Treatment • Rehabilitative services • Protect the sick and their families against the cost of ill health • Carry out key public health functions • surveillance, the operation of public health laboratories, and food and drug administration.
Health Care Systems/Medical Treatment – Signs of Quality • Safe – for patients • Effective – provide services based on scientific knowledge • Patient-centered –consistent with patients needs, values… • Timely – limited waiting, reasonable distance for patients to travel to • Efficient – avoids waste of equipment, supplies, time • Equitable – care doesn’t vary in quality based on personal characteristics of the patient…gender, income, ethnicity, geographic location…
Health Systems Low Income Countries • Most have established a public health system that provides each level of care on a geographic basis. • However, that publically supported systems usually exists side-by-side with an active private medical sector and health services provided by a variety of NGOs • Often not coordinated in their efforts
Health systems - 3 levels of health care • Primary • provided by local health care providers, may not be doctors • should be located throughout the country – reasonably easy access for all • Secondary • provided by general hospitals in, larger regional health care centers …in towns/cities • Doctors needed, higher level of care provided • Tertiary • specialized hospitals that are staffed with wide-range of specialists • One per large city or one per region or country… • Advanced diagnosis, surgery, treatment…..
Focus on Primary Care • INCLUDES, but not limited to: • Diagnosis, treatment, preventive services… • Maternal health • Family planning • Well baby care • Sick baby diagnosis • Vaccinations • Testing for TB, HIV. Malaria, cholera… • Provides basic drugs, vitamins….. Page 104
Community Health Workers • http://www.millenniumvillages.org/field-notes/a-vital-link-to-health-services-in-sauri-kenya • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmEsRyYXnKQ