Health services are all of the activities people and institutions take to protect health, prevent disease, treat patients to the extent possible, promote well-being, and provide rehabilitation to those who become disabled. They are expressed in many ways, including as diagnostic, therapeutic and supportive. They are delivered by a variety of professionals, such as doctors, nurses and therapists, as well as other support staff, such as clerical workers and social workers. They are provided at the local, regional or national levels, depending on the health system and the needs of the population.

There are several key elements of a health service: it must be accessible to those who need it; it must be affordable and available to the whole community; it should provide the best quality care with the resources at hand; it should be patient-centred, meaning that the focus is on the person’s needs and preferences, not just on the medical problems; and it should be efficient in terms of maximizing the benefit for the money invested. Health services also have a responsibility to encourage healthy lifestyles and work in partnership with other agencies concerned with life style and the environment.

Until recently, most developed countries had large integrated health services systems that consisted of networks of hospitals and primary and secondary care practitioners. These were based on the model of socialized medicine that was introduced in the 1920s in the Soviet Union, and later spread to its satellite states. This involved the state owning and paying healthcare professionals, with a central authority defining coverage levels and amounts to be set aside for healthcare.

Since the 1990s, most countries have moved away from this model toward a more market-based approach to health services. This has been largely driven by the need to reduce costs and the increasing complexity of treatments, with the development of generic drugs. It has also been influenced by the growing recognition of the importance of prevention in improving health outcomes.

One important element of this new model has been the introduction of community health centers, which offer a variety of services. These typically include screening for early signs of disease, providing vaccinations, and promoting lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation, a healthy diet, physical activity and mental health.

In addition to community health centers, some school-based health programs exist. These are typically supported by educational service agencies, which act as cooperatives in approximately 85 percent of the nation’s school districts, servicing such needs as staff development, bulk purchasing and delivery of related services to students with special needs.

Although there are some limitations on access to health services, it can be improved through a combination of policies and strategies. These should involve increasing funding for primary care, focusing on people’s needs and expectations, providing quality information, and fostering partnerships among stakeholders, such as government, private insurance companies and non-governmental organizations. They should also emphasise the role of public health, which includes preventing disease through education and community involvement, and address other determinants of health such as housing, nutrition and poverty.