HEALTH CARE AGENCIES

DEFINITION

Health care agency is a term used for a governmental or non-governmental organization which is responsible for delivering health services and managed care provided by skilled health care professionals under the supervision of physicians and one or more registered nurses. It must maintain clinical records on all patients and must be licensed by the laws governing the rights of the Individual and approved by the state laws as meeting the standards established by licensing Organizations.

TYPES OF HEALTH CARE AGENCIES

• PRIVATE HEALTH CARE AGENCIES: Privately owned hospitals are funded and operated by the owner which is typically a group or an individual person. The owner of the facility will be in charge of setting the budget, managing finances, and ensuring compliance with strict municipal code, state law and federal regulations. The owner will also recruit staff, draft contracts with doctors, purchase the equipment, invest in maintenance, and control the services provided.
• PUBLIC HEALTH CARE AGENCIES: Public health agencies are any hospital that is said to be governed publicly is fully funded by the government and operates solely off of money that is collected from taxpayers to fund healthcare initiatives. Since the equipment, salaries, construction of new facilities, and prescriptions is paid for from a budget set by the local government, administrators will offer a limited set of services.

TYPES OF PRIVATE HEALTH CARE AGENCIES

1. OUT PATIENT CLINICS
2. NURSING HOMES
3. HOSPITALS
4. AMBULATORY CARE CENTERS
5. EMERGENCY CARE CENTERS
6. DIALYSIS CENTERS
7. BIRTH CENTERS
8. DIABETIC CARE CENTERS
9. REHABILITATION CENTERS
10. LABORATORY & DIAGNOSTIC CLINICS
11. DEADDICTION CENTERS
12. MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS
13. DENTAL CLINICS
14. HOPSICE HOMES
15. TELEMEDICINE CENTERS

1. OUT PATIENT CLINICS

• Patients who don’t require hospitalization can receive health care in a clinic. An out patient setting is designed to be convenient and easily accessible to the patient.
• Many people go to a clinic for routine doctor’s appointments and check-ups. These healthcare facilities can be a physician’s private practice, a group practice setting or a corporately owned clinic that may be connected to a larger healthcare system or hospital.

2. NURSING HOMES

• Nursing homes offer a living situation for patients whose medical needs aren’t severe enough for hospitalization, but are too serious to manage at home.
• Nursing homes enable patients with injuries, acute illnesses or postoperative care needs to recover in an environment outside the hospital.
• These facilities offer long-term medical care ranging from simple to complex levels of need in an environment that provides care from few weeks to months.

3. HOSPITALS

• Hospitals are the health care agencies that provide services which vary greatly depending on their size and location, the hospital’s goal is to save lives. Hospitals typically have a wide range of units as intensive care and non-intensive care units.
• Intensive care units deal with emergencies and the most serious illnesses and injuries. Patients with imminently life-threatening problems are treated in these units
• Non-intensive care units include things like treatment of illness, surgeries & step-down units for patients who have just been treated in intensive care and many others. Typically, most hospital beds provide non-intensive care.

4. AMBULATORY CARE CENTRES

• Ambulatory care services are provided for clients who need treatment and observation for a small period of time typically between 6-12 hrs.
• They also provide outpatient surgical facilities, allow patients to receive certain surgical procedures outside a hospital environment like cataract and minimally invasive procedures.
• These environments also reduce the risk of exposure to infection for surgical patients as the length of stay is minimal.

5. EMERGENCY CARE CENTERS

• Emergency care facilities exist for on-demand healthcare needs that aren’t severe enough for the emergency room, but are too severe or concerning to wait for a scheduled appointment at the doctor’s office. These centers are a common choice when children get sick, for example, and need an immediate diagnosis or relief from symptoms.
• These facilities provide treatment for acute illness such as set broken bones and treat limb fractures; diagnose a viral illness; blood tests and urine labs and provide treatment for injuries. If a problem is too severe, then referral services will be provided to hospital or specialist.

6. DIALYSIS CENTERS

• Patients with kidney disease often need regular treatments of dialysis.
• Dialysis is a process that filters and cleans the blood artificially when the kidneys cannot function normally.
• Patients might need dialysis as often as three times a week to avoid serious complications. With such high demand, dialysis facilities rose up to meet patient needs and avoid undue strain on hospitals.

7. BIRTH CENTERS

• A birth center is a healthcare facility for childbirth that focuses on the midwifery model. They aim to create a birth environment that feels more comfortable to the mother and allows for a cost-effective, family-inclusive birth.
• Birth centers are not typically equipped with the same contingency equipment and staff as a hospital, such as surgeons in case of a Caesarean section or a neonatal intensive care unit. As a result, birth centers admit only healthy pregnancies without any known risk or complication factors.

8. DIABETIC CARE CENTERS/ CLINICS

• Diabetes is a very serious illness in the population, Over a third of the national population is highly at risk for diabetes, in a condition called prediabetes.
• Patients with diabetes need to manage the disease and typically make lifestyle adjustments to keep it from becoming life-threatening.
• Since diabetes is so widespread, diabetes centers or clinics were built to help patients manage their disease and to avoid risk & complications of diabetes.
• Diabetes centers also typically offer classes, education, support groups and a variety of resources to help patients manage their diabetes and live without complications.

9. REHABILITATION CENTERS

• In rehabilitation centers patients can receive various therapies to help restore their abilities after an illness or injury.
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy are all processes that help people gain or regain skills they need to move around, work or speak in daily life.
• Practitioners at rehabilitation centers work with people to help them recover as much of their mobility and independence as possible. Outpatient rehab centers can relieve the strain on hospitals.

10. LABORATORY & DIAGNOSTIC CLINICS

• These facilities are hospital counterparts, offer diagnostic services to patients.
• Clinical lab services are tests on specimens from the body (such as blood or urine) that are used to diagnose and treat patients.
• Clinical laboratory services are the most cost effective, least invasive source of the objective information used in clinical decision-making.
• Diagnostic imaging includes CT scans, ultrasounds, X-rays, MRIs etc. While hospitals and even clinics have imaging centers, outpatient facilities help keep costs lower and allow more convenient scheduling for patients.
• Hospital facilities will likely handle imaging for urgent cases, such as an MRI for a brain injury. But any imaging that can be scheduled in advance, such as ultrasounds to monitor a pregnancy, could take place at an imaging center.

11. DEADDICTION CENTERS

• These centers provide intervention, treatment, restoration and social incorporation of addicts and alcoholics in the standards of general public.
• They prepare the addict to break-free of all the old patterns & habits.
• Throughout the treatment, the individual gains an optimistic outlook on life. This uplifts the self-worth and diminishes the thoughts of going back to the old routines.
• The perfect treatment ensures that the individual is motivated and determined towards achieving a better life ahead. If the person is committed, the treatment can be a life-changing experience. Their support, gratefulness & willingness to become better is an added advantage in the process.

12. MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS

• Mental health treatment facilities sometimes exist as a general institution for any mental health issue and are sometimes specialized. Examples of these kinds of facilities are suicidal thoughts (or suicidal ideation) treatment, depression treatment, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment, treatment for anxiety disorders, behavioral disorders etc.
• There are inpatient or outpatient services provided in many mental health facilities, designed to assist patients through different stages of their healing processes.
• As per the mental illness there are different wards and treatment provided both in Individual and as group therapy. Counselling services are also provided in these facility to prevent serious mental Illnesses.

13. DENTAL CLINICS

• Dentists work with patients and the general public to prevent and treat dental and oral disease, correcting dental irregularities and treating dental and facial injuries.
• Complete exams, x-rays, and dental cleanings. Fillings, root canals, and extractions. Cosmetic dentistry, such as whitening, porcelain and composite veneers. Implants - placement and restoration are the services done in dental clinics.

14. HOSPICE HOMES

• Hospice represents a philosophy of care provision for dying patients as well as official networks that offer hospice care. Hospice is also a designation for specific healthcare facilities that specialize in end-of-life care.
• Hospice care is a model that provides not only medical support, but also emotional and even spiritual support for patients and their families. Hospice care has a team of care providers made up of the patient's personal physician, a hospice physician, nurses, home health aides, social workers, clergy or other counsellors and physical or occupational therapists, if needed.
• Though patients can receive hospice care at home, if their medical needs are significant, they might live in a specified hospice home.

15. TELEMEDICINE CENTERS

• Telehealth isn’t really a type of healthcare facility, but its potential for serious growth in the coming years. Telehealth, telemedicine and remote healthcare can represent a digital type of healthcare facility. Telehealth refers to the use of electronic communication technology to facilitate long-distance health care and health
• Many people lack easy access to physicians and specialty clinics. Whether through their physical location, physical ability, living situation or transportation choices, many patients have a hard time getting to a medical practitioner face to face.
• The patient limitations, the greater healthcare costs, and new technological capabilities have all come together to motivate telehealth applications. This looks like a live video conferencing between patient and physician. Or a patient with an illness might wear a device to allow remote monitoring from their medical team.
• For quick consultations, telehealth can be an ideal option even for patients with easy access to their doctors. By logging into a web-based service, the doctor or nurse practitioner can prescribe medications, suggest home care strategies or recommend additional medical care.

TYPES OF PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES

• SUBCENTERS
  • A Sub Centre is designed to serve extremely rural areas with the expenses fully covered by the national government.
  • This require health staff to be at least two workers (male and female) to serve a population of 5000 people (or 3000 in a remote, dangerous location).
  • Sub Centers also work to educate rural people about healthy habits for a more long-term impact.
• PRIMARY HEALTH CENTERS
  • Primary Health Centers exist in more developed rural areas of 30,000 or more (20,000 in remote areas) and serve as larger health clinics staffed with doctors and paramedics.
  • Patients can be referred from local sub centers to PHCs for more complex cases.
  • A major difference from Sub Centers is that state governments fund PHCs, not the national government.
  • PHCs also function to improve health education with a larger emphasis on preventative measures.
• COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
  • A Community Health Centre is also funded by state governments and accepts patients referred from Primary Health Centers.
  • It serves 120,000 people in urban areas or 80,000 people in remote areas.
  • Patients from these agencies can be transferred to general hospitals for further treatments.
  • Community health centers are also first referral units, which are required to have obstetric care, new born/childcare, and blood storage capacities at all hours everyday of the week.
• SUB DISTRICT HOSPITALS
  • Sub district (Division) hospitals are below the district hospitals and above CHCs. They are also first referral units and receive patients from sub centers, PHCs & CHCs in providing emergency obstetrics care and neonatal care and thereby help in reducing maternal & Infant mortality rate.
  • A subdivision hospital caters to about 5-6 lakhs people In bigger districts the Sub-district hospitals fills the gap between the block level hospitals and the district hospitals
  • It also saves the travel time of patient requiring emergency care and reduces the workload of the district hospital
  • There are about 1200 such hospitals in the country with a varying strength of number of beds ranging from 31-100
  • They provide secondary health care to the community and maintain an acceptable standard quality of care.
• DISTRICT HOSPITALS
  • District Hospitals are the final referral centres for the primary and secondary levels of the public health system.
  • It is expected that at least one hospital is in each district of India, there are normally anywhere between 75 and 500 beds, depending on population demand.
  • However these district hospitals often lack modern equipment and relations with local blood banks.
• GENERAL HOSPITALS
  • A General Hospital is owned, Funded & Managed by the State or Central Government
  • As the name General these hospitals provide primary treatment for various medical & surgical Illnesses
  • General have Medical personnel, Nursing & professional staffs and other health care providers like technician, dietitian, Physiotherapist etc.
  • They provide essential & basic care services for patients with Acute Illnesses & require short term care
  • General Hospitals are Equipped with Laboratory services, Pharmacy & Radiology units etc.
  • Many departments like out patient & In-patient units, Intensive care units, Operation theatres & Recovery units, obstetric care & labor units and Physiotherapy departments are available in General Hospitals
  • In Large Hospitals, specialty services like Dialysis & pediatric care are also provided
  • Most General Hospitals are affiliated to Academic Institutions & they provide General clinical training for Diploma, under graduate & post-graduate Students in various Health care departments
• MEDICAL COLLEGES & RESEARCH INSTITUTES
  • Government Medical Colleges are owned and controlled by the respective state governments and also function as referral hospitals.
  • The goal of this organization is to incorporate more public health policies and diverse professionals in collaboration with international public health organizations to gather more knowledge and direct discussions around needs and improvements to the current system.
  • These colleges aims to further their programs and educate more people in this field.
  • The research discovered would be made transparent to the Indian public at large, so that the entire nation is aware of health standards in the country.