This course draws on material from healthcare systems of both developed and less developed countries to examine the economic, social, epidemiological and political environments within which healthcare systems operate and the various patterns that emerge. We examine the key building blocks of healthcare systems:
- financing arrangements including revenue generation, risk pooling and purchasing
- health workforce including migration of health workers and health labour market dynamics
- health system governance
- models of health service delivery
- access to essential medicines.
The impact of some recent attempts at health system reform in different countries, including reform seeking to achieve universal health coverage, is assessed and proposals for future re-structuring are critically reviewed.
This course is an elective course of the Master of Public Health, Master of Health Leadership and Management and Master of Global Health programs, comprising 6 units of credit towards the total required for completion of these study programs.