The health care industry is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing industries.[1] Consuming over 10 percent of gross domestic product of most developed nations, health care can form an enormous part of a country's economy.[2] In 2003, health care costs paid to hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, diagnostic laboratories, pharmacies, medical device manufacturers and other components of the health care system, consumed 15.3 percent [3] of the GDP of the United States, the largest of any country in the world. In 2001, for the OECD countries the average was 8.4 percent [4] with the United States (13.9%), Switzerland (10.9%), and Germany (10.7%) being the top three.

According to Health Affairs, $7,498 will be spent on every woman, man and child in the United States in 2007, 20 percent of all spending. Costs are projected to increase to $12,782 by 2016.[3]

The healthcare industry includes the delivery of health services by health care providers. Usually such services receive payment from the patient or from the patient's insurance company; although they may be government-financed (such as the National Health Service in the United Kingdom) or delivered by charities or volunteers, particularly in poorer countries.