Health care is an increasingly vital and expansive sector of our economy, and substantial funds are dedicated to its advancement. That is why it is imperative that everyone involved understands how to spell and use appropriate terms when writing or speaking about their work – failing to do so could cause communication breakdown and be counter-productive.
One common example of this can be seen when people get confused between “healthcare” and “health care.” Although they’re both spellings of one word, people often confuse them – this small change can make an enormous difference to your communications!
Merriam-Webster defines health care as the effort to maintain or restore physical, mental, and emotional well-being for an individual. This often includes services provided by trained professionals like physicians and nurses; medicine; dentistry; pharmacy and midwifery as well as activities by occupational and physical therapists are included as aspects of this field of care. Health care encompasses many different facets of human wellbeing and should continue evolving accordingly.
Healthcare, on the other hand, is an umbrella term that refers to any organization or activity providing medical services. Healthcare can refer to any industry that provides such care – this may include hospitals, insurance companies, research facilities, pharmacies or any other related entity as well as an individual patient’s out-of-pocket costs as well as their private or employer sponsored coverage plans.
Healthcare is generally accepted across most English-speaking regions. However, American English still refers to healthcare systems as nouns while British English favors using it as an adjective – both spellings are acceptable; just be sure which you use when communicating with others.
Both words have become part of popular culture; for instance, Healthcare Solutions uses both words while Healthcare.com only one.
Though some may prefer spelling health care as one word, professional organizations, publications and industry resources typically adhere to standard spelling conventions for clarity and uniformity. For instance, The Associated Press style guide states it as such while The Chicago Manual of Style and Grammarly both refer to healthcare.
As industries continue to advance and develop, spelling and usage variations may continue to cause disagreement over whether terms should be hyphenated. Understanding them will allow for clearer communication among readers and colleagues.