Primary Care
Primary Care
Primary health care is intended to be available to all members of the community regardless of an ability to pay; with the focus on bringing services to the places where people live and work. This approach involves proactive community participation and outreach, as well as coordination with related community services such as housing and education.
The seven basic elements of Primary health care (as established by the World Health Organization) are:
- Community-based: reflects the needs and conditions of the community.
- Addresses main health problems: providing promotive, preventative, curative, and rehabilitative services.
- Includes education and prevention methods: preventing health problems, proper nutrition, family planning, immunization, treatment of injuries, and essential drugs.
- Involves community development: includes all sectors related to overall health – agriculture, industry, education, housing, public works, and communications.
- Promotes community participation: by utilizing local and national resources, individuals are positioned for self-reliance of control of their primary health care.
- Sustained by supportive referral systems: to result in progressive improvement of comprehensive health care for all.
- Suitably trained health care team: to respond socially and technically to the health needs of the community.
Learn more about Primary health care from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
