Final answer:
The fastest growing component of the health care system is home care. It is increasingly preferred for its patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness, especially for palliative care for the elderly and terminally ill.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks which component of the health care system is the fastest growing. Among the presented options, home care is reported to be the fastest growing. As societies around the world experience an increase in life expectancy, and as healthcare improves overall, there is a notable trend towards providing palliative care within the comfort of one's home. This is backed by studies, such as those by Brumley et al. in 2003 and 2007, which suggest that not only do patients have increased satisfaction with in-home care, but it can also result in lower costs. Additionally, hospice care, a type of palliative care for terminally ill patients, is also embracing this move towards home care, with an increasing number of services designed to provide comfort at the patients' own residences.
With an aging population and a decrease in available working-age caregivers, the costs and demand for elder care, including home care and palliative care services, will likely continue to rise.