Health services are the infrastructure, systems and processes that deliver the medical, social, and public health care needed to keep people healthy. The term is broadly used to include all activities and interventions that aim at preventing, diagnosing, treating and curing diseases, injuries or illnesses. It also encompasses the education and training of healthcare professionals.
There are a wide range of skills and competencies that are necessary for success in health and human services careers, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making. This field typically requires working closely with a variety of individuals, so strong interpersonal skills are essential.
A career in the field of health and human services can be extremely rewarding, both personally and financially. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for this field is $52,960 per year, and it’s projected that job opportunities will continue to grow in the coming years.
In low and middle income countries (LMICs), the quality of healthcare is often poor, with many deaths resulting from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, tuberculosis and malaria, and from complications of childbirth or surgery. Inadequate quality of care costs the economy an estimated 1.4–1.6 trillion dollars each year in LMICs. Providing high-quality healthcare is a major challenge and one that requires solutions at multiple levels:
The World Health Organization defines “health services” as the organized delivery of medical, social, and public health care to achieve optimal health outcomes. This includes primary, secondary and tertiary care, as well as preventive, curative and palliative services. In addition to doctors and nurses, health-services providers may include a variety of other professionals, such as pharmacists, nutritionists, psychologists and epidemiologists.
As such, the discipline of health services research is multidisciplinary and draws upon a broad range of academic disciplines. Early researchers in the field were clinicians, but today, most are trained in such diverse areas as biostatistics, clinical sciences, economics, epidemiology, psychology, sociology, and political science. Some researchers are focused on measurement, while others study how to improve or enhance the delivery of healthcare and how policies can be designed to ensure that all populations have access to quality care.
In order to make a significant contribution to improved global health, there are a number of core objectives that must be addressed: ensuring that all populations have adequate access to affordable, quality healthcare; providing information to enable consumers to make informed decisions about their own healthcare; promoting the development and strengthening of health-related systems; and supporting progress toward universal health coverage.
In addition, the provision of high-quality healthcare requires a health workforce that is sufficiently trained and competent; financing mechanisms that promote and reward quality; information systems that continuously monitor performance and provide feedback; medicines, devices and technologies that are effective and safe; and accessible and well-equipped health facilities. Various environmental forces have shaped and influenced the health-services landscape, changing expected outcomes and performances as different factors became dominant during eras of professional dominance, government intervention in healthcare, and market-oriented delivery. Scott and colleagues offer a comprehensive case study of change in a local healthcare system that illustrates these dynamics.