Health Service in Russia. Medical Insurance.

Health service in Russia is both preventive and curative. It is available to the whole population. The most distinctive feature of it is the attention paid to prophylaxis. It is known that one of the main available methods of preventing the spread of diseases is health education. Therefore we pay much attention to the popularization of medical science among the population.

There are several types of medical institutions in Russia that provide medical assistance to the population. They are polyclinics, hospitals and dispensaries. Most of them are state-controlled institutions but there are also private clinics, which are available to those who can afford them.

Medical insurance in Russia is provided in two ways: compulsory and voluntary medical insurance.

In our country like in many other countries in the world Russian citizens who are employed or self-employed are to pay monthly contribution to the National Insurance and Health scheme. These contributions provide a right to all people to get free medical treatment. This kind of insurance is called compulsory. It covers all the population in Russia. Compulsory medical program guarantees primary health care, emergency aid, diagnostics and treatment in out- and in-patient departments, preventive medicine to all citizens of Russia. Voluntary medical insurance operates on the basis of voluntary medical insurance programs. It provides supplemental medical services that are not covered by the compulsory medical insurance programs. Voluntary medical insurance may be provided to individuals or to groups of individuals.

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE IN GREAT BRITAIN.

British NHS was founded in 1948. It was the first free, comprehensive since birth. Its slogan was ”From all according to their ability to all according to their needs.” The aim of British system is to provide “a comprehensive medical health service, general practitioner service and public health service”. 35 years later a part of NHS work was transferred to a private sector.

There are three main parts of NHS: Hospital Service, GPS and PHS. Hospital Service includes general and special service, infectious disease units and all forms of specialized treatment. A NHS patient may receive good treatment but he must share a general ward with many other patients: hospital service is free to both in- and out-patients.

The second part of the national health system is General Practitioner Service. All GPs may take part in the Family Doctor System. They practice front-line medical care for individuals and their families. GP is the doctor of the first contact. He receives additional pay for extra and night work, emergency aid, obstetric care. GPs may have not more than 2500 patients to care.

Public health service controls epidemic measures, mother and child care, care of aged and invalids, regular check-ups, immunization of the population, obstetric care in Health Centers.

There are three types of specialty groups. The first is the multi-specialty in which a number of doctors with different skills can provide treatment to the patient. The single specialty groups are composed of radiologists and anesthetists. The third group is composed entirely of general practitioners.

The National Health Insurance scheme came into force in 1948. According to its programs everyone between the time of leaving school and retirement must pay insurance contributions weekly. The amount depends on whether people are employed, self-employed or non-employed. The main benefits of such a system are weekly payments made during unemployment or period of sickness. Allowances are also paid in respect of orphaned children, retirement pensions, at the birth of a child and in case of death.

AT THE DOCTOR.

HEALTH is not only an absence of a disease but a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Our health depends upon many things but mostly upon the way of life we lead.

A large number of clinics, hospitals, out-patient units take care of our health. A network of health resorts and sanatoriums helps people to improve their health condition. Besides, sports help us to keep fit and avoid diseases.

But no matter how hard we try to avoid them, we often catch cold or infection and fall ill. Then we have to consult a doctor.

A person who is not well may consult a physician for various complaints: weakness, fever, temperature and all kinds of pains.

Before making a diagnosis, the doctor examines the patient. The usual methods of examination are inquiry, inspection, auscultation, percussion, palpation, taking the temperature, feeling the pulse, checking the blood pressure, making X-ray examination, and various laboratory studies.

By questioning the patient, the doctor learns about his complaints, the onset of the disease, the past and family histories of the patient.

Inspection reveals the general appearance of the patient, complexion, the state of his tongue and pupils.

While auscultation, the physician may discern murmurs in the heart and crepitations in the lungs.

By palpating the patient, the physician determines heat and cold of the skin, elasticity or rigidity of the abdomen, swelling and the existence of growths.

Percussion reveals dullness or impairment of sounds and distribution of fluids in the body.

The usual laboratory studies are various blood tests, urine analysis and so on. In order to detect lesions in the bones or tissues patients are X-rayed.

After a thorough examination, the doctor makes a diagnosis. He administers treatment and prescribes some drugs. If the patient is unable to work, he puts him on a sick list.