How Healthcare Works, LLC

Written by Jeanette R. Harrison, MPH When many people think about the health care system, they often think about their doctor's office and the local hospital.  However, there are many, many components to the health care system in the United States. The different aspects of health care range from private practices to hospitals to insurance carriers to medical equipment providers.  There are many companies involving health care that people really do not think about automatically.  Each of these areas may directly or indirectly affect a patient's care or health care experience. I will illustrate this using an example of a patient visiting their primary care physician.  The patient goes to the provider's office, which is referred to as a clinic, or physician practice.   While there, the patient goes to an exam room and sits on an exam bed.  This is another area of health care, medical equipment .  The provider examines the patient and uses medical supplies . These supplies ar