Healthcare refers to the “organized provision of medical care to individuals or a community.” It also involves taking preventive measures to stop the deterioration and spreading of disease. But who actually performs this significant role in a healthcare system and improves the quality of life of people? This article will let you know about the various roles that build up a healthcare system.
What is the Healthcare system?
In general, a healthcare system is defined as a structured system consisting of organizations, people, and actions with a primary motive to promote, restore, or improve health. It is more than managing the health conditions of the public. It certainly ensures health services are delivered to people to improve their health. But it also focuses on determinants of health-improving activities. It concentrates on inter-sectoral actions by health staff, urging the ministry of education to promote female education, an eminent determinant of better health.
In particular, a healthcare system is referred to as the organization of people, institutions, and resources that provide health care services to fulfill the health needs of a defined community. There is a wide variety of healthcare systems all over the world. A community develops and designs its healthcare system according to its needs and resources. However, the primary motive of virtually all healthcare systems is the purveyance of basic healthcare facilities.
Who Builds Up The Healthcare System?
Healthcare professionals play the topmost role in making a healthcare system. Some other institutions and actions also help the building of a healthcare system, for example, health insurance organizations and vector-control campaigns. But healthcare professionals enact a rudimentary and significant role. For instance, an emergency management coordinator plays a crucial role in the healthcare system by managing a disaster response effectively. They serve their communities by lessening the severity of emergencies by responding in well-coordinated, effective ways.
A general saying about healthcare professionals is that they are “the heroes that don’t wear capes.” These heroes play an inevitable role in the structure of a healthcare system. Healthcare is a team effort. Each healthcare professional, in teamwork, plays a special role. Following are the various healthcare professionals who together make up a healthcare system:
- Physicians And Surgeons
Physicians and surgeons are key members of a healthcare team. They usually have years of education, training, and experience. Physicians provide care for patients while in a hospital or an ambulant setting. They treat and manage a variety of medical conditions, from headaches to tumors and minor cuts to critical injuries. Surgeons are responsible for the preoperative diagnosis of diseases, performing operations, and providing patients with postoperative surgical care and treatment. Surgeons are also considered a leader of a surgical team.
- Physician Assistant (PA)
Physician Assistants support a doctor or physician in the management of patients. They are licensed to practice medicine and are supervised by a physician. As physicians, physician assistants can act as physical examiners of patients, prescribers of medicines and tests, or providers of preventive healthcare counseling. A 4-year degree with an additional 2-year physician Assistant program is the education of a Physician Assistant.
- Nurses
Nurses closely assess patients to help doctors create a care plan and then implement that care plan with medications and various treatments. Their duties depend upon their education, specialty area, and work setting. There different types of nurses are:
- Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
These are nurses who are licensed by their state and gain training for about one year at a community college or vocational school.
- Registered Nurses (RNs)
Licensed nurses are those who may have completed a diploma program, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree.
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)
These nurses have more education and experience than Registered Nurses. For example, APRNs are clinical nurse specialists, family nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists.
- Pharmacists
Pharmacists are licensed by the state. They have an education of at least five or six years. Their job is to provide patients with medicines that a doctor prescribes. They also tell patients about the use and side effects of medicines. Sometimes they interact with doctors to choose which medicine to give patients with the combination of pharmacists’ knowledge of medicines and doctors of patients’ conditions.
- Dentists
A dentist is a healthcare professional who specializes in dentistry with a degree from dental school. Dentists’ job is to diagnose and treat problems related to teeth and mouth, such as dental cavities, bad breathing, and root infection. In a healthcare system, their job is also to educate patients about their oral hygiene and dental care. They teach patients about flossing, fluoride, brushing, and other dental care aspects.
- Technologists and Technicians
In a healthcare system, the job of technologists and technicians is to technically diagnose or treat diseases. They work with technologies in a variety of setting to support a healthcare system. Various types of Technologists and Technicians include; Laboratory Technologists, Radiology Technologists (Radiographers), and Pharmacy Technicians. With the advancement of technology, they perform a prominent job in the healthcare system in the modern world.
- Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists are mental health professionals who diagnose and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They treat, for example, disorders of the nervous system and drugs and chemical abuse.
- Medical Administrative Staff
In a healthcare system, administrative staff does various jobs such as scheduling appointments, keeping medical and financial records, filling out insurance forms, and arranging for laboratory or other diagnostic services. Some administrative medical staff job titles include Clinic Coordinator, Administrative Medical Assistant, and Medical Records Specialist.
- Therapists and Rehabilitation Specialists
In a healthcare system, therapists and rehabilitation specialists are responsible for a variety of tasks associated with providing patients therapy and rehabilitation services. They help patients recover from physical changes caused by a chronic disease, injury, or medical condition. Various types of rehabilitation specialists include speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.
Healthcare professionals play elementary roles in structuring a healthcare system. They work as a team to provide healthcare services to their community. Other than physicians, surgeons, nurses, and dentists, there are various members of this team like medical administrative staff and technicians who serve the healthcare system for the overall wellbeing of people.