The Health Care System: Models, Trends and Challenges

Catalog description

This course explores major topics in the study of health and health care delivery. We will discuss determinants of health, the social distribution of health and disease, and health disparities; the organization and financing of the U.S. health care system, its historical context, the roles and behaviors of its key actors, and its comparison to health systems of other nations; the quality, cost and accessibility of health care services; and health care delivery system improvement and reform. In particular, we delve into the history of the system, describing both the initial development of the system and the impetus for and structure of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. After a grounding in the history and systems approach to the health care system, we learn about each of the components of the system, including finance and reimbursement, managed care, and behavioral health services. The objective of this course is to build understanding of fundamental ideas, issues and problems in health policy and management and thereby to provide a strong foundation for careers in a health care field.