What is Basic Medical Care?

The definition of basic medical care is probably a little different from one provider to another and from one consumer/patient to another.

It would require coordination and cooperation across the medical community from government and public health services to community and private practices.

Feel free to comment and add your own ideas.

Basic medical care must include periodic medical exams, provision of first aid and medications to relieve pain and suffering and conditions such as infection. It should include simple xrays to diagnose fracture for example.

Medication such as inhalers to ease breathing would also be included. Assistance with birthing would be covered when provided by persons trained in and skilled at that type of care.

In addition to this immunizations and/or testing to prevent/detect common childhood diseases and diseases that occur in captivity or close quarters should be included. This would include vaccines against whooping cough and testing to diagnose tuberculosis. It would also include access to birth control information and medication and condoms.

I would include extraction of broken or diseased teeth in basic medical care as well.

Educational instruction regarding hygiene/sanitation, nutrition would be provided as well as family planning, if requested.

I would encourage end of life care discussions... way ahead of time.

Psychiatric screenings and access to counseling would also be part of basic care.

Some surgeries would be covered such as emergency ceasarian sections.

I suppose the larger debate would be on what would not be covered. If certain procedures and medications and care are "basic" then it begs the question of what is "advanced" or "intermediate" and beyond the scope of basic medical care. Who gets to decide?

What are your thoughts?