| CODE | HSL5010 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Effective Health Systems | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Health Systems Management and Leadership | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit introduces the student to health system design, organisation and delivery that is subject to continual change due to a multitude of factors that could be both population and globally based. Understanding how a health service is designed for effectiveness and efficiency and understanding the pervasive influence of digital technologies equips the student to advise and help construct health systems at various levels that are relevant to the prevailing and future scenarios. Through this study-unit students learn to describe health systems, compare different health system models and understand the strengths and weaknesses of the different models of health systems organisation and financing. The study-unit allows for an analysis of the Maltese health system whilst also exposing students to several health systems in high income countries. Innovations in service delivery in international healthcare systems will be highlighted and their applicability considered in the Maltese context. Study-Unit Aims: The aim of this study-unit is to develop professionals from various backgrounds to demonstrate competencies necessary to identify, analyse and address challenges in health systems and healthcare services. Students are introduced to the concepts and frameworks that are applied in the study of health systems with a focus on the relevance of digital technology. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Appraise the models of health system funding and organization; - Appraise the historical development of health systems, current trends in health systems reform and future challenges facing health systems; - Systematize the main health system domains; - Appraise the health information cycle; - Evaluate the limitations in health information and how this affects comparative health systems analysis; and - Demonstrate competence in planning health system redesign with a good understanding of potential consequences and implications. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Develop ideas and proposals about how health systems can be strengthened; - Analyse a country health system in a systematic manner; - Utilise online health information resources for comparative health systems research; and - Ability to assist in the commissioning needs assessments, health technology assessment and health system impact assessments. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Josep Figueras and Martin McKee (2011). Health Systems, Health, Wealth and Social Well-Being. Assessing the Case for Investing in Health Systems. Published by Open University Press. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies Series. ISBN 978 0 335 24430 0. - Abdelhak, M., Gostrick, S., Hanken, M. A., & Jacobs, E. B. (2015). Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource. (5th Ed.). USA: Saunders. ISBN 978 0 323 26348 1. - Sarah Thomson, Thomas Foubister and Elias Mossialos (2009). Financing Health Care in the European Union. ISBN 978 9 289041652. Supplementary Readings: - Foley, D.M. (2019) Health Information Management Case Studies. Chicago, IL: American Health Information Management Association. ISBN 978 1 584 26769 0. - OECD/European Union (2020), Health at a Glance: Europe 2020: State of Health in the EU Cycle, OECD Publishing, Paris, (Accessible from: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/82129230-en/index.html?itemId=/content/publication/82129230-en) - Spending on Health in Europe: entering a new era (2021) WHO Regional Office for Europe. ISBN 978 9 289055079 (Accessible from: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/340910/9789289055079-eng.pdf?sequence=1) - National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Website: http://www.nice.org.uk/ - The Cochrane Collaboration. Website: http://www.cochrane.org/index.htm - An extensive series of publications on health systems can be found at: http://www.euro.who.int/observatory/Publications/20020522_2 AND https://eurohealthobservatory.who.int/home Most of these publications are free to download in part or full. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Independent Study and Group Learning | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Miriam Dalmas (Co-ord.) Kenneth E. Grech Patricia Vella Bonanno |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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