HAP 609: Comparative International Health Systems  

Syllabus

Instructor

Tracey Lynn Koehlmoos, PhD, MHA
Email Dr. Koehlmoos

Disability Accommodation

If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see Debbie Wyne and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 703-993-2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through the DRC.

Course Description

A seven week on-line course in comparative international health care systems. The course utilizes Roemer’s Model of Health Systems to examine resource allocation, management and health outcomes in the United States and around the globe. The structure and functioning of national health systems based on geographic location and governance in developing and developed countries (democracies, monarchies and communist nations). Resource allocation across the continuum of nations and relationship to national health needs, health status and longevity are examined

Textbook

Required textbooks:

• Graig, Laurene A. Health of Nations: An International Perspective on US Healthcare Reform. 3rd Edition, Congressional Quarterly, Inc. 1999.
• Lassey M, Lassey W, and Jinks, M. Health Care Systems Around the World: Characteristics, Issues and Reforms. Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1997.

Optional Textbook:

• Barton, Phoebe. Understanding the US Health Services System. 2nd Edition, Health Administration Press. 2003 (This book is required in GMU’s HSCI 678, Introduction to the US Healthcare System. It would be a helpful resource in understanding the Roemer Model. In the absence of this book, we will find other means of distributing and explaining the Roemer Model.)

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to compare the US healthcare system and its management to selected health systems around the globe in order to:      

1. Identify the key characteristics and components of the current US health care system;

2. Describe key characteristics and components of global health care systems;

3. Evaluate the forces influencing healthcare and determine their impact on the future of healthcare systems at home and abroad;

4. Predict the likelihood of future health system changes and how they may impact society;

Also on WebCT

All materials for this course, with the exception of the text books, are also available in the course’s WebCT site. You access the WebCT site by going to: http://webct41.gmu.edu and using your GMU e-mail address and password. Alternatively you can use the current site without passwords.  Click on the link for the course and the website is laid out before you by week. Please, open the syllabus and print it out for future reference.  Also, please go to the Chat page, enter Chat Room 1 and attempt to post a message. Messages are posted by typing them in the bottom line and pressing “enter” on your keyboard.

The George Mason University, Instructional Resource Center (IRC) is available to assist you with the WebCT site if you have problems with accessing this course on WebCT. Our technical support person is Brooke Watson who is available at ewatson3@gmu.edu.

Evaluation

Students will be graded based on the following distribution of effort: 

There is a 20% reduction in score for each late item. Missed additional readings and chat room discussion cannot be made up.

Grades will be based on the following scale:           

Course Assignments

Quizzes

There will be two quizzes worth a total of 20% of your grade. The first quiz will cover the US Healthcare System and the Roemer Model of Health Service Systems. It must be taken during the first two weeks of the course session.  It is important that the US system be reviewed before meaningful comparisons with international health systems can be made. The second quiz will cover the material in weeks 2 through 7 and must be taken before the last day of class. The quizzes will be open book and open note.  You will have a nine day window during which you may access each quiz. There is a two hour time limit in the duration of the quiz once you open it.

Additional Reading and Chat Sessions

Each student must participate in three out of four eligible chat sessions. There is an article and a list of guiding questions that appear within the folder of each week that offers a chat session opportunity. Each chat session is worth 10% of the total grade, or a total of 30% of your grade is based on your successful participation in on-line chat sessions.  Chat times will be arranged by the class via postings on the discussion board.

Rules for the chat are as follows:

• Be on time.

• Completely read the article before entering the chat session.

• Be polite and choose your words carefully. Do not make derogatory statements.

• Be patient and read the comments of other participants thoroughly before entering your remarks.

• Be respectful of other’s ideas.

• Follow the suggested questions about the article.

Discussion Board Postings

You are required to post and respond to postings on the course discussion board. I will use the discussion board to post announcements, changes and additional information of interest.  

In all written correspondence, you will be positive and constructive. Please respond to threads by hitting “Reply” rather than creating unnecessary new threads. Be respectful of other’s ideas. Avoid making inflammatory and/or insulting statements.

During the first week of class, you are required to introduce yourself to me and to your classmates using the discussion board. The introduction is worth 2% of your grade. In subsequent weeks, you are required to post at least four (4) postings on the discussion board, either as original threads or as responses to other student’s ideas. Each of these discussion board postings will be worth 2% of your grade for a total but not exceeding 8% of your grade. Between the 2% introduction and the 8% weekly contributions, postings on the discussion board will constitute 10% of your total grade in the class.

Individual Country Health Services and Status Assessment Project

You are required to complete an Individual Country Project which is worth 40% of your grade in this course.  This project will be done on the health system of a country of your choice pending the instructor’s approval.  The project is due before midnight on the last day of the seven week term. A late project will be penalized 20% for the first day it is late and 10% for every day that it is late thereafter.

Your country project is to be organized into the following five segments:

1)      Demographic Information and present political situation.

2)      Current Health Status and brief history of health system development.

3)      Application of the Roemer Model to the selected country’s health services system.

4)      Health Status predictions for your selected country.

5)      Comparison between selected country’s health services system and the United States’ health services system and ideas for reform in either setting.

Each segment of the project is worth 8% of your grade in this class for a total of 40% of your grade in the class. Most of the information required for sections 1, 2, 3 and possibly 4 of this project can be found on the internet. I will provide you with useful links and resources during the duration of the class. However, you will have to apply what you have learned and use your analytical skills for some part of sections 3 and 4 as well as all of section 5.  You will be evaluated based on scope of content, grammatical correctness, inclusion of a reference section, and evidence of critical thinking. All work will be double-spaced; 12-point, Times New Roman font; and completed in Microsoft Word.

GMU Student Honor Code

Students are expected to observe the GMU Student Honor Code at all times.

Class Schedule for Spring 2007 22 January until 5 March 2007

The class web site and discussion board will be utilized for class announcements, to distribute details regarding assignments, and to provide you with any external links that will assist you in successfully completing this course.