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Health care provider



 
 
A health care provider or health professional is an organization or person who delivers proper health care
Health care

File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
 in a systematic way professionally to any individual in need of health care services.

spital is an institution for health care
Health care

File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
, often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays. Today, hospitals are usually funded by the state, health organizations (for profit
For-profit hospital

For-profit hospitals, or alternatively investor-owned hospitals, are investor-owned chains of hospitals which have been established particularly in the United States during the late twentieth century....
 or non-profit
Non-profit organization

A nonprofit organization is any organization that does not aim to make a profit, and which is not a public body....
), by health insurance
Health insurance

The term health insurance is generally used to describe a form of insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering Disability insurance or Long term care insurance needs....
s or by charities
Charitable organization

The definition of charitable organization, and of charity, varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates....
 and by donations.






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A health care provider or health professional is an organization or person who delivers proper health care
Health care

File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
 in a systematic way professionally to any individual in need of health care services.

Institutions


Hospital

A hospital is an institution for health care
Health care

File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
, often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays. Today, hospitals are usually funded by the state, health organizations (for profit
For-profit hospital

For-profit hospitals, or alternatively investor-owned hospitals, are investor-owned chains of hospitals which have been established particularly in the United States during the late twentieth century....
 or non-profit
Non-profit organization

A nonprofit organization is any organization that does not aim to make a profit, and which is not a public body....
), by health insurance
Health insurance

The term health insurance is generally used to describe a form of insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering Disability insurance or Long term care insurance needs....
s or by charities
Charitable organization

The definition of charitable organization, and of charity, varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates....
 and by donations. In history, however, they were often founded and funded by religious orders or charitable individuals and leaders. Hospitals are nowadays staffed by professionally trained clinicians, whereas in history, this work was usually done by the founding religious orders or by volunteers.

Laboratories and research

A medical laboratory or clinical laboratory is a laboratory
Laboratory

A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which science research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories....
 where tests are done on biological specimens in order to get information about the health
Health

In 1948, the World Health Organisation defined health as ?a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.? ...
 of a patient
Patient

A patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or Therapy. The person is most often illness or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other Health care provider, although one who is visiting a physician for a routine check-up may also be viewed as a patient....
. Such laboratories may be divided into categorical departments such as microbiology
Microbiology

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are unicellular or cell-cluster microscopic organisms. This includes eukaryote such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes, which are bacteria and archaea....
, hematology
Hematology

Hematology, American_and_British_English_spelling_differences#Simplification_of_ae_.28.C3.A6.29_and_oe_.28.C5.93.29 haematology, is the branch of biology , pathology, clinical laboratory, internal medicine, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases....
, clinical biochemistry, immunology
Immunology

Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with, among other things, the physiology functioning of the immune system in states of both health and disease; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the physical, chemical an...
, serology
Serology

Serology is the scientific study of Blood plasma. In practice, the term usually refers to the diagnostic identification of Antibody in the serum....
, histology
Histology

Histology is the study of the anatomy of cell and tissue of plants and animals. It is performed by examining a thin slice of tissue under a light microscope or electron microscope....
, cytology
Cytology

Cytology means "the study of cell s".Cytology is that branch of life science, which deals with the study of cells in terms of structure, function and chemistry....
, cytogenetics
Cytogenetics

Cytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G banding chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ hybridization and comparative genomic hybridiz...
, or virology
Virology

Virology is the study of virus : their structure, classification and evolution, their ways to infect and exploit cell for virus reproduction, the diseases they cause, the techniques to isolate and culture them, and their use in research and therapy....
. In many countries, there are two main types of labs that process the majority of medical specimens. Hospital laboratories are attached to a hospital
Hospital

A hospital is an institution for health care providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment, and often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays....
, and perform tests on these patients. Private, or community laboratories receive samples from general practitioner
General practitioner

A general practitioner, or GP is a Physician who provides primary care and Specialty in family medicine. A general practitioner treats Acute and Chronic and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes....
s, insurance companies, and other health clinics for analysis.

Biomedical research, or experimental medicine, in general simply known as medical research, is the basic research
Basic Research

Basic Research is an herbal supplement and cosmetics manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, Utah that distributes products through a large number of subsidiaries....
 or applied research
Applied research

Applied research: is research accessing and using some part of the research communities' accumulated theories, knowledge, methods, and techniques, for a specific, often state, Commerce, or client driven purpose....
 conducted to aid the body of knowledge in the field of medicine
Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. Medical research can be divided into two general categories: the evaluation of new treatments for both safety and efficacy in what are termed clinical trial
Clinical trial

In health care, clinical trials are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for new drugs or devices. These trials can only take place once satisfactory information has been gathered on the quality of the product and its non-clinical safety, and Institutional review board approval is granted in the country where the trial...
s, and all other research that contributes to the development of new treatments. The latter is termed preclinical research
Pre-clinical development

Pre-clinical development is a stage of research that begins before clinical trials can begin, and during which important feasibility, iterative testing and safety data is collected....
 if its goal is specifically to elaborate knowledge for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

And as follows

Practitioners and professionals

Health care professionals include physician
Physician

A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
s, dentists, physician assistant
Physician assistant

In the United States, a 'physician assistant' is an advanced practice clinician licensed to practice medicine with the supervision of a licensed physician....
s, support staff, nurse
Nurse

A nurse is a healthcare professional, who along with other health care professionals, is responsible for the treatment, safety, and recovery of Acute or Chronic ill or injured people, health maintenance of the healthy, and treatment of life-threatening emergencies in a wide range of health care settings....
s, pharmacist
Pharmacist

Pharmacists are health professionals who practice the science of pharmacy. In their traditional role, pharmacists typically take a request for medicines from a prescribing health care provider in the form of a medical prescription and dispense the medication to the patient and counsel them on the proper use and adverse effects of that medic...
s, therapists, psychologist
Psychologist

"Psychologist" is an academic, occupational or professional title describing individuals who are either: * social scientists conducting research and/or teaching psychology in a college or university;...
s, veterinarian
Veterinarian

A veterinarian or a veterinary surgeon , often shortened to vet, is a physician for animals and a practitioner of veterinary medicine....
s, chiropractors
Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a health care approach and profession that emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the vertebral column, under the hypothesis that these disorders affect general health via the nervous system....
, physical therapists
Physical therapy

Physical therapy is a health care profession which provides services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout life....
, optometrists
Optometry

Optometry is a health profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as Visual acuity, visual systems, and Visual perception in humans....
, paramedic
Paramedic

A paramedic is a medical professional, usually a member of the emergency medical services, who primarily provides pre-hospital advanced Medical emergency and Physical trauma care....
s, and a wide variety of other individuals regulated and/or licensed to provide some type of health care.

Mental health professionals

A mental health professional is a person who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health
Mental health

Mental health is a term used to describe either a level of cognition or emotional Quality of life or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychol...
 or treating mental illness
Mental illness

A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern that occurs in an individual and is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as part of normal development or culture....
. These professionals include psychiatrist
Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry and is certified in treating mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy....
s, clinical psychologists
Clinical psychology

Clinical psychology includes the scientific study and application of psychology for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or Mental illness and to promote subjective Mental health and personal development....
, clinical social workers
Social work

Social work is a discipline involving the application of social theory and research methods to study and improve the lives of people, groups, and societies....
, psychiatric nurses
Psychiatric and mental health Nurse Practitioner

An Advanced Practice Pychiatric/Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner, or Clinical Nurse Specialist, works in a primary care facility, outpatient mental health clinic, a private practice, or in a hospital or community health center....
 as well as other professionals. These professionals often deal with the same illnesses, disorders, conditions, and issues; however their scope of practice
Scope of Practice

Scope of Practice is a terminology used by state licensing boards for various professions that defines the procedures, actions, and processes that are permitted for the licensed individual....
 often differs. The most significant difference between mental health professionals is education and training.

Stress among health care practitioners

Workplace stress
Workplace stress

Workplace stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker....
 is pervasive in the health care industry because of inadequate staffing levels
Human resources

Human resources is a term with which organizations describe the combination of traditionally administrative personnel functions with performance, Employee Relations and Resource planning....
, long work hours
Working time

Working time refers to the period of time that an individual spends at paid occupational labor. Unpaid labors such as housework are not considered part of the working week....
, exposure to infectious diseases and hazardous substances, threat of malpractice
Malpractice

In law, malpractice is a type of negligence in which the misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance of a professional, under a duty of care, fails to follow generally accepted professional standards, and that breach of duty is the proximate cause of injury to a plaintiff who suffers damages....
 litigation, and the constant exposure to death and dying. According to a report from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is the United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness....
, "Studies indicate that health care workers have higher rates of substance abuse and suicide than other professions and elevated rates of depression and anxiety linked to job stress". This elevated level of stress is also manifest in high rates of burnout
Burnout

Burnout or burn-out can refer to:* Burnout , a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest, especially in one's career....
, absenteeism
Absenteeism

Absenteeism is a habitual pattern of absence from a duty or obligation....
, and diagnosis errors and reduced rates of patient satisfaction.

Health care systems

A health care system is the organization
Organization

An organization is a social arrangement which pursues collective goals, which controls its own performance, and which has a boundary separating it from its environment....
 by which health care
Health care

File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
 is provided. Such systems could be endorsed and/or managed by government
Government

Government is the body within any organization that has the authority to make and the power to enforce laws, regulations, or rules. Typically, the government refers to a civil government -- local, provincial, or national -- but commercial, academic, religious, or other formal organizations are also administered by governing bodies....
s or managed completely or partially by private market-based institutions.

Market-based

Health insurance is a type of insurance whereby the insurer pays the medical costs of the insured if the insured becomes sick due to covered causes, or due to accidents. The insurer may be a private organization or a government agency. Market-based health care systems such as that in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 rely primarily on private health insurance.

See also

  • Dentist
  • Health care
    Health care

    File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
  • Health insurance
    Health insurance

    The term health insurance is generally used to describe a form of insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering Disability insurance or Long term care insurance needs....
  • Pharmacist
    Pharmacist

    Pharmacists are health professionals who practice the science of pharmacy. In their traditional role, pharmacists typically take a request for medicines from a prescribing health care provider in the form of a medical prescription and dispense the medication to the patient and counsel them on the proper use and adverse effects of that medic...
  • Physician
    Physician

    A physician, medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, or medical doctor practices medicine, and is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury....
  • Physician Assistant
    Physician assistant

    In the United States, a 'physician assistant' is an advanced practice clinician licensed to practice medicine with the supervision of a licensed physician....
  • Psychologist
    Psychologist

    "Psychologist" is an academic, occupational or professional title describing individuals who are either: * social scientists conducting research and/or teaching psychology in a college or university;...


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