Health Care Organisation and Management, 7.5 credits

A Bachelor's degree or a professional degree equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor's degree of at least 180 credits in health care, biomedicine, medical technology, computer and systems sciences, informatics or the equivalent. Knowledge of the English language equivalent to English B at Swedish upper secondary school.

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

- identify and describe the goals of a health system and explain the building blocks using the WHO health system framework
- differentiate and describe the different challenges that health systems face in countries with different income
- explain the organizational complexity of health care and identify the management challenges in delivering value-based health care
- describe the burden of disease and disability on population level, both globally and locally
- elaborate the role of health informatics in supporting health care organization and management in different contexts (low-, middle- and high-income countries)

Skills and abilities

- compare how different health care systems use organisational and financial management to achieve the criteria for STEEEP (Institute of Internal Medicine, 2001)
- propose how health informatics tools can be designed and adapted to current conditions in different health care systems 

Assessment ability and attitudes

- assess the similarities and differences in health cares’ organizational and managerial challenges
- argue on using different health informatics tools depending on the health care context.
 

The course introduces the student to the complexity of health care and offers a framework and tools for analyzing the key components, including the challenges on global and local level. The students have the opportunity to explore the health care organization and management on various levels and learn how health informatics contributes to improved performance, better quality and outcomes in health care.

The course will offer multiple blended learning activities such as: lectures, seminars, interactive sessions live and on-line, study visits, as well as individual and group project work.

The course will be examined through individual and group written assignments and oral presentations. In order to pass the course the students need to demonstrate fulfillment of all the course outcomes.

In accordance to evidence-based teaching and learning, formative examination is used throughout the course so students and teachers are able to continuously follow and influence the students’ fulfillment of the learning outcomes of the course. To pass the course, the student should be able to demonstrate accomplishment of the expected learning outcomes of the course.

Compulsory participation:
On basis of the nature of the subject, there are certain experiences that require active participation such as the course introduction, the final examination and certain exercises/seminars, as well as study visits indicated in the course schedule. The course director assesses if, and in that case how, absence can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts, or compensated absence in accordance with the course director's instructions, the student's results for the course will not be registered in LADOK.

Limitation of number of occasions for the examination
The student has the right to write the exam six times. If the student has not passed the exam after four participations he/she is encouraged to visit the study advisor.

The number of times that the student has participated in one and the same examination is regarded as an examination session. Submission of a blank examination is regarded as an examination. An examination for which the student registered but not participated in will not be counted as an examination.

Examination will be provided during a time of two years after a possible cancellation of the course. Examination can take place according to an earlier literature list during a time of one year after the date when a major renewal of the literature list has been made.
 

Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.

The course is given in English.