Health: a privilege or a human right?

After more than 25 years as an entrepreneur and executive in healthcare, I believe we must begin with a fundamental question: is health a privilege or a human right that every society should protect? I am Magín Eduardo Blasi Blanchard, and this reflection opens a series on how healthcare services can be organized, financed and evaluated.

Health, healthcare and the health system

Before answering, we should distinguish three concepts. Health is a human condition; healthcare comprises the services intended to protect, preserve or restore it; and a health system organizes, finances, regulates and oversees those services, as well as public-health action. A hospital does not provide health: it provides medical care and other services that support it.

What universal access means

My position is that every person, regardless of income, should be able to access the essential healthcare services they need under equivalent standards of quality and safety. This does not mean promising that nobody will become ill or offering every procedure without limit. It means ensuring appropriate, timely and evidence-based care.

The World Health Organization defines universal health coverage as access to quality services without financial hardship. It includes promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. Hospitals alone are therefore not enough: primary care, public health and continuity of care also matter.

Guaranteeing access is not the same as delivering care

The state has essential responsibilities: setting rules, protecting the population, organizing financing for those unable to pay, monitoring quality and correcting access failures. Who operates each hospital, clinic or care center is a separate question.

My proposal is to explore universal coverage with a predominant role for qualified private providers, subject to strong regulation and independent evaluation. This is an institutional design proposal, not a claim that any ownership model automatically produces better outcomes.

Putting the patient back at the center

Insurers, authorizations, billing, audits and many administrative processes surround the relationship between patient and health professional. Some are necessary; others should be examined for duplication and avoidable cost. Every resource used should be justified by its contribution to access, quality, safety or sustainability.

Digital tools, automation and artificial intelligence can simplify processes and improve coordination, provided their results are evaluated and patient data is protected.

Protecting health as a human condition requires accessible, safe and high-quality care services.

Reference

The definition used here is available from the World Health Organization.