Final answer:
Prior to World War II, healthcare was not as centralized around hospitals as it became afterwards. The war catalyzed advancements in medical technology and a shift towards organized healthcare systems, with prior care scattered and less systematic.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before World War II, hospital care was not as central to healthcare provision as it became in subsequent decades. The war necessitated advancements in medical technology, the creation of new vaccines, and the establishment of new healthcare norms, particularly as efforts increased to treat and prevent diseases such as malaria, which affected soldiers and civilians alike. Before this period, many individuals had never received professional medical treatment, and while establishments like the Freedmen's Bureau set up hospitals to provide care, these were often plagued by underfunding and poor conditions.
In addition, women who wanted to serve overseas during the conflicts would typically join or form a hospital unit, offering services to organizations such as the Red Cross, highlighting the need for more formal medical services. It was after WWII that biomedical thinking became more influential, leading to increased public health efforts that were a direct result of the founding of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO). Thus, the era before WWII saw healthcare delivered in a more scattered and less centralized manner, contrasting with the more systematized and technological medical system that emerged post-war.