Prospectus

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Health Systems and Management

Course
2017-2018

Tags

GPH

Admissions requirements

None.

Description

An adequate health system delivers services to all people who need it but also protects people against financial consequences of ill-health and protects a population against diseases.
The exact configuration of health services varies worldwide but without good policies and leadership, health systems do not function effectively. For example, without adequate health workers, health facilities, financing, and governance thousands suffer from preventable diseases that can be diagnosed and addressed. This course will discuss the different ‘building blocks’ of a health care system such as:

  • Leadership and governance

  • Health Information systems

  • Health financing

  • Human resources for health (health workforce)

  • Access to medical products and technologies

  • Effective service delivery

Course objectives

After this course students will:

  • Be able to describe and analyze health systems (providers, customers, and state) under different social and political circumstances

  • Be able to understand the different constraints present in health systems management in low middle income country settings

  • Critically evaluate policy reform process to manage health systems and how the social and political context can affect reform

Timetable

Once available, timetables will be published here.

Mode of instruction

Interactive colleges, including discussion, presentations by students, group assignments and general debates.
Students will be introduced to policy briefs through group assignment. Reflections on the reading list is important for this course. Students will present (creatively) their reflections and lead discussions based on their readings. Through the group exercises students will be able to understand the challenges faced in the field when tackling problems of the health system of low middle income countries. Along with the required readings group presentations take a significant part in this course. The group assignment, the policy brief, will be assume when presented in class as a mock up presentation to presenting the important issues of the health systems in global health to diverse audiences such as ministers of health, funders, among others.

Assessment

Reflections on required readings (20%)
Group assignment and presentations (40%)
In-class participation (15%)
written examination (20%)
Peer review (5%)

Blackboard

There will be a Blackboard site available for this course. Students will be enrolled at least one week before the start of classes.

Reading list

Subject to change:

  • Figueras and McKee (2011), chapter 1, ‘Health systems, health, wealth and societal well-being: an introduction’.

  • G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit Follow-Up (2009) Global Action for Health, System Strengthening, Policy Recommendations to the G8, pp9- 25.(http://www.hrhresourcecenter.org/node/2397)

  • World Health Report. (http://www.who.int/whr/previous/en/)

  • Alma Ata Declaration, http://www.who.int/publications/almaata_declaration_en.pdf

Registration

This course is open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Registration is coordinated by the Curriculum Coordinator. Interested non-LUC students should contact course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.

Contact

M.J. Cho, PhD