The history of health care
Going back hundreds of years, we can trace the history of health care. Although it has evolved over the years, it all has a common goal; to heal those who are ill. Technology is one of the major evolutions and now plays a big role in the health care system. It helps patients to be more involved with their healthcare. They can make appointments, follow up on test results, and contact their doctors. Back then, they didn’t even have all the medicine we have now, let alone the technology. We can only imagine what is in store for the future.
Health care involves so many different fields and so many different people; it is hard not to get interested in it. One thing that especially interests me is how much diseases and the treatment of them have changed. In the earlier centuries, epidemics like cholera and smallpox were sweeping across countries; now they are rarely heard of. Just over the course of about a hundred years, and most of the diseases that were killing thousands of people are now extinct. Another common killer back then could be something as simple as eating bad food.
They did not have means of safeguarding food, so things like beef were not monitored. It is amazing to see how far they have come in advancing healthcare. There are many aspects of health care that intrigue me. I’ve always wanted to be a nurse; unfortunately it is very difficult to get into the program. However, if I ever go back to do that, I would want to either do labor and delivery or pediatrics. I have had the privilege of witnessing the birth of one of my nieces and it was the most amazing experience. To be a nurse and being a part of that on a daily basis would be awesome.
I also have an extra soft spot for children, which is why pediatrics would also be of interest to me. Life threatening diseases do not only affect adults. I feel that being able to help children would only be helping our future. Since healthcare varies all around the world as far as quality and technology, it is safe to say that there are some positive and negatives based on the demographics. For example, those living in the United States are quite lucky as a whole; we have fairly advanced technology as far as surgery and medicine go. Our hospitals are good, and the doctors are well trained.
It is less likely that wide spread epidemics will happen here because of the strict regulations on food and other important factors. Also, since we are modernized, we don’t have to really “rough it” like some do in third world countries. However, if we narrow it down a lot farther we will discover that there are negatives as well. People in more poverty stricken areas are more likely to have a not so nice hospital and probably not the best doctors. Different parts of the world will also have a different quality care just based on the resources available to them.
Many people come to the US just for medical procedures that cannot be done in their country. In my opinion, age also plays a part in healthcare. It almost seems as though the older you get, the less they seem to care. I am not sure if it’s because they figure you are already on your way out and not worth the effort, but based on what I have seen with my grandparents, their quality of care is quite lower. There are many resources available to find more information on the history of health care. I believe the most common would be the internet.
Since it has so many options available with just a click of the mouse, it is also the fastest. However, one should be careful about credibility on the internet. Medical journals or government sites are more likely to be accurate, rather than a blog or other online opinionated websites. Another way to do research would be the good old way, a printed resource. Although they are rarely used, medical journals or newspapers from a local library could be another way to get the information you would require about healthcare.
Healthcare has changed in many ways, mostly for the good. Patients are more involved with their medical care. The use of the internet is becoming more prevalent, and does not show signs of slowing down. Medicine is evolving for the better and cures for many diseases may soon be on the horizon. With so many things happening at once we cannot forget where it all started and how it will evolve from now. The history of healthcare plays a role in all of this, if not only to remind us where it all began.
