Public and Personal Care Health Systems
A public health system is a combination of all public, voluntary and private entities which have a contribution to the delivery of critical health services to the public within a jurisdiction (Turnock, 2008). A personal health care system is a population-based health service delivery system that works in a primary care setting. The public health system concept ensures that contributions of the different entities to the well-being and the health of the state or community undergo a recognition during the assessment of public health services provision. Public and Personal Care Health Systems
The personal health system is a concept where people are part of a localized primary care services which is intended to improve their health, readily accessible, keep them well while coordinating their ongoing care. Personal care services focus on reduction of health inequalities across various groups and improving localized population health (Maurer & Smith, 2013). Public health services are delivered to a significantly large group of people while personal care is a type of family doctor that is usually delivered to individuals.
The areas of overlap between the two systems are that they both deal with people’s health and wellbeing through health care. However, public health mainly deals with the improvement of population health while personal care deals with the treatment of diseases, disabilities and disorders in individuals (Turnock, 2008). There is the need for interaction between the two systems where personal care ought to emphasize on population health especially the role played by the community, preventive care, and health promotion as well as the involvement of different professionals. Affordable Care Act (ACA) is likely to realign and encourage the cooperation between the personal care and the public health systems based on its design (Maurer & Smith, 2013). ACA will also expand medical insurance coverage which will affect how clinical services are offered such as transfer of cases from public agencies to the private sector. Personalized health services will also reach more people in their homes.
- Maurer, F. A. & Smith, C.M. (2013) Community/Public Health Nursing Practice: Health for Families and Populations. Makati: Elsevier Health Science.
- Turnock, B.J. (2008) Essentials of Public Health. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Public and Personal Care Health Systems