The Essence of Accessible Healthcare
Access to comprehensive, reliable health care services is essential for the promotion and preservation of health, the prevention and management of diseases, the reduction of unnecessary disability and premature death, and the achievement of health equality for all people.
Why Is Access to Health Services Important?
Access to health care means “the timely use of personal health resources in order to achieve the best results for health.”
- Entry into the health care system (generally via insurance cover).
- Proximity to a place where essential health care facilities (geographic availability) are offered.
- To find a health care provider that the patient trusts and is able to connect with (personal relations).
Access to health care affects the overall state and quality of life of one’s physical, social, and mental well-being.
Barriers to health services include:
- High-care prices
- Inadequate or no coverage of the policies
- The poor management of available services
- Lack of culturally appropriate treatment
These barriers to accessing health services lead to:
- Health needs being unmet
- Gaps in receiving sufficient treatment
- The inability to receive preventive care
- Pressures on financing
- Hospitalizations preventable
Access to treatment also varies according to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, sex, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and location. The post-2015 development agenda has set universal health coverage as a potential overarching target for health. Whether it is a means to an end or an end in itself and whether it is observable are topics of heated debate.
