Leader: Professor J Stoelwinder & Dr D Roberts

Offered

Alfred Hospital Second semester 2008 (Day)
Alfred Hospital Second semester 2008 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

This unit will examine reform and development in health services from a macro and micro perspective. Three levels of reform will be introduced - 'system', 'institution' and 'care delivery' - which aim to guide students through the multitude of issues, drivers, demands, complexities and consequent impacts related to reform.
Areas of concentration in this unit include international and national governing entities and agencies, the Australian health care system, developed and developing country health systems, roles of institutions (hospitals), and various applications of reform movements/ models in care delivery. The course is not intended to exhaustively cover 'reform' but rather to illustrate various aspects of reform and to stimulate student's thinking in this dynamic area. It is envisaged that this unit will provide students with a general understanding of health service reform that may assist them in their professional endeavours.

Objectives

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of some of the drivers of reform at the 'system', 'institution' and 'care delivery' levels;
2. Demonstrate an understanding of some of the mechanisms or approaches used in health service reform at the 'system', 'institution' and 'care delivery' levels;
3. Describe some of the international and national agencies and entities that influence health service reform;
4. Apply a knowledge of the structure, function and management of the Australian health care system;
5. Compare and contrast the reform agenda in a sample of developed countries and contrast those with the Australian agenda;
6. Apply an understanding of the role of hospitals in health service reform;
7. Reflect on the complexities and challenges involved in implementing reform;
8. Think critically about the application of various reform movements/models at the 'care delivery' level.

Assessment

Web-based tasks (50%)
Written assignments (50%)

Contact hours

15 contact hours over 2 days

Off Campus Attendance Requirements

15 contact hours over 2 days