Health care is the general term used for the entire area of prevention, intervention and cure of sickness and disease using the services of medical professionals and resources. Although The WHO would like to see the expression extended to include all individuals whether an individual or whole populations. Working to together this way, the whole medical profession would fall under the expression health care system.

Early before the phrase healthcare was popular, the English speaking nations called it just plain medicine or more commonly the health sector but it still meant the provision of a health service to treat and cure illness and disease. Even in most developing countries there is a form of health care provision for everyone whether they are in a position to pay or not. This first started in the UK a few years after the end of World War 2 in 1948, and became the first healthcare service set up and run by a government.

Alternatively a system of compulsory government funded health insurance with nominal fees can be provided, as with Italy, which, according to The WHO, has the second-best health system in the world. Two other systems like that in Italy, both using the name Medicare, one in Australia and the other in Canada were started between the late 1960’s and the early 1980’s. The main countries that do not support this general healthcare service are America and South Africa, although they are making reforms to their health service. The health care industry is considered a profession which makes use of the skills of professional healthcare workers who provide a service related to the preservation or improvement of the health of individuals who are injured, sick, disabled, or infirm.

Worldwide, over recent decades, there has been a huge increase in the sum of money spent on healthcare and it is now one of the fastest growing sectors in every developed country with an average cost of 10 percent of the gross domestic product. The only world nation to differ is The United States with over fifteen percent according to figures published in 2003 but it is set to rise to almost 20 percent by the year 2016.

This fact is highlighted by the large number of American citizens who have serious concerns about their health care, around 180 million to be precise, and the main worry for anyone seeking work in The USA. The costs of health care in America have risen so much that General Motors had looked at filing bankruptcy due to the increasing healthcare costs dragging down its auto manufacturing division. Fortunately, negotiations between the Union and GM management made a deal to reduce some of the benefits but keep operating as usual but the were force to sell off their under performing finance arm GMAC.

The American health care system costs a great deal to employers but it is the number one thing that potential workers look for in an employer and has seen many changes in how individuals view working for any given company. Maybe the situation needs to be looked at from a different angle, one in which individuals are encouraged to stay fit and healthy as societies in general see a decline in the health of its populations.