The health care system provides professional (or professionally guided) services which preserve, restore, and improve your health. Let's consider various elements of it as they have affected you in the past and may affect you in the future:

• You were probably born in a hospital, so let's look at hospitals first.
• You've had attention from various medical doctors, so let's look at the medical profession--medical training, where specialists fit into the pattern, and how to pick the best doctors available.
• Sooner or later you'll have to pay the bills, so let's look at the economics of health care. We'll consider what's available to you as an individual and both present and possible future government programs.
• Some health care is rendered by other professionals. Let's consider those which work in conjunction with medical doctors first, then discuss some of the alternative non-medical care sources.
• Finally...