HSH769 - Comparative Health Systems
Unit details
| Year: | 2022 unit information |
|---|---|
| Important Update: | Unit delivery will be in line with the most current COVIDSafe health guidelines. We continue to tailor learning experiences for each unit to achieve the best possible mix of online and on-campus activities that successfully blend our approaches to learning, working and research. Please check your unit sites for announcements and updates. Last updated: 4 March 2022 |
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Cloud (online), *CBD |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Carmen Vargas |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
| Scheduled learning activities - campus: | 1 hour class each week (pre-recording provided) |
| Scheduled learning activities - cloud: | 1 hour class each week (pre-recording provided) |
Note:*CBD refers to the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation (NIKERI) Institute; Community Based Delivery | |
Content
This unit provides students with a framework for undertaking critical and comparative analysis of the performance of both state-based and market-based health systems. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the various domains that impact on equitable and efficient health care delivery including: (i) the organisation, operation, funding and policy environment and (ii) the role that political, cultural, legal and economic factors play in the development of health systems. Further issues that are explored are the fragmentation of health systems, health workforce supply in a global context, health inequities particularly indigenous and isolated populations and the neglect of health promotion and primary prevention at the expense of curative care. These topics are explored in the context of a series of case studies including the National Healthcare Service (NHS) in the UK, the Affordable Care Act in the US, Australia’s Medicare, and various other examples from India, Africa, South America, the Netherlands, China, Singapore and Thailand.
| ULO | These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Describe how the performance of health systems can be measured and evaluated. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Apply the WHO building blocks framework to a healthcare system to determine strengths and weaknesses of the health system. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Source and critically interpret health system data, including across countries and over time. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Identify and discuss the role of government and non-government sectors in health care delivery, organisation and efficiency. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO5 | Apply systems thinking approaches to analyse and critique health system policy and initiatives. | GLO2: Communication |
| ULO6 | Critically appraise recent attempts at health system reform, identifying the weaknesses and making recommendations to strengthen the reform. | GLO2: Communication |
Assessment
Trimester 2:| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Description of the assigned country health care system using the WHO’s building blocks | Narrated presentation | 20% |
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| Assessment 2: Compare and contrast the performance of two health systems. Identify the key priority areas for the health systems | Individual essay - 2500 words | 40% |
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| Assessment 3: Analysis, description and recommendations of a country’s response to one of the ten causes of death worldwide | Group narrated presentation | 40% |
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The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: HSH769 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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