The healthcare industry typically refers to any and all individuals and companies that are primarily concerned with the physical and mental health of people. This can include hospitals and offices that employ doctors and nurses, as well as accountants, lawyers, and administrators involved in keeping operations of such facilities running smoothly. Psychiatrists and counselors who specialize in helping others with mental health and treating psychological disorders are also typically a part of this industry. The healthcare industry can also include health insurance companies that assist others in paying for the costs of continuing healthcare and treatment for various diseases or illnesses.
Some of the most numerous members of the healthcare industry are healthcare providers who are actually responsible for ensuring the continued health of patients in a variety of different fields. Doctors and nurses are typically the most visible members of this category, and they work to diagnose and treat disease and illness. There are other people who work as healthcare providers, however, often as support members or staff members at a hospital or doctor’s office. These members of the healthcare industry can include administrators that handle payroll and filing of patient information, lawyers that represent doctors and nurses dealing with professional matters, and medical teachers working in hospitals and universities.
There are also members of the healthcare industry who help people maintain a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. Psychiatrists and psychologists are members of this category, and they work with people to help overcome mental disabilities or illnesses that are psychological in nature. There are also counselors who work with individuals to overcome stress or conflict in their lives, often working toward a resolution of a particular crisis and moving toward a more healthy state of mind. Certain conditions are severe enough to require attention from multiple aspects of the healthcare industry, such as a violent amputation that requires medical attention to heal and therapy to overcome the trauma caused by the injury.
Insurance companies are also typically considered part of the healthcare industry, since they are often closely tied to the treatment a person can receive. The high costs of medical and psychological treatment have led to numerous situations in which a person cannot pay for treatment by himself or herself. An insurance company will often help by providing assistance in paying for treatment, in exchange for a monthly payment to guarantee service when needed. There is some debate and controversy over the financial aspects of the healthcare industry, however, especially among those who wish to see healthcare no longer treated as a business, despite the costs of ongoing medical research.