INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS
34-HCMT-181-707
WINTER 2009
Instructor Information
Instructor:
Jeff Bauer
Office:
Snyder 252 F
Phone:
513-732-5257
E-mail:
jeff.bauer@uc.edu
Faculty Secretary:
513-732-5255
Fax:
513-732-5304
Text Information
Essentials of the US Health Care System, Leiyu Shi and Douglas A . Singh, Jones and
Bartlett, 978-0-7637-3151-9
Overview of the Course
Topics covered will include history, orientation to the US Health Care delivery system
including discussion on clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, related health care facilities,
health care planning, regulation, quality, politics, and major issues.
Course Objectives
As a result of completing this course, students should be able to:
1. Identify the major historical factors affecting the development of health care in
the United States, and relate these factors to the current health care system.
2. Exhibit knowledge about the reasons for health care utilization, major trends in
the use of services, measures of health status, and the importance of proactive
preventive behaviors in protecting one's health.
3. Articulate access issues related to the health care system, and express a wellreasoned position on the topic.
4. Describe the services, organization, and financing of inpatient and ambulatory
care entities, including outpatient facilities and practices, hospitals, the long-term
care industry, mental and behavioral health providers, and the public health
system.
5. Depict the roles and duties of the major career specialties in the health
professions, and describe any associated training/education and credentialing
required by each profession.
6. Delineate the important role played by technology and research in the delivery
and financing of health care.
7. Identify the roles of the insurance industry and local, state, and federal
governments in the provision and financing of health care.
8. Describe the health insurance mechanism and the major methods for insuring
health care, including managed care. Explain why health insurance in the United
States is unique relative to other forms of insurance and to health care coverage
elsewhere in the world.
9. Understand the importance of assuring quality in the health care setting; common
methods for measuring and improving quality; and current issues related to the
quality of care in the United States.
10. Delineate the major reasons for regulating the U.S. health system; the relative
success of these regulation and planning efforts; and alternatives to these
measures.
11. Illustrate the impact of the political process on health care reform, and identify
past and present alternatives for resolving overall system issues.
12. Formulate a global proposal for change, incorporating one's knowledge and
understanding of the system, with a view toward resolving as many of the issues
identified in this course as possible.
Course Requirements
Reading Assignments: The student is expected to read all assignments. He/she should be
prepared to use the material from the readings to complete the chapter questions,
application assignments, and the final research paper.
End of Chapter Questions: Each week one or two questions will be posed in the
Assignments area for the student to respond to which relate to the readings. The
responses to each question should be kept to ½ - 1 page, typed, double spaced and
submitted under Assignments on Blackboard.
Assignments: Each week there will be assignment(s) posted in the Assignments area of
Blackboard. Some weeks I will put you into groups for the completion of the
Assignment(s) for that week. There will be weeks that I will assign a video for you to
watch to assist you with the assignment(s), which you will find on Blackboard. It is
imperative that you check Blackboard at the beginning of each week.
Discussion Board: Each week there will be a discussion board question. All participants
in this course must post a response to the question by Wednesday each week at Midnight
and two comments to other learners in this course by Friday each week at Midnight on
the Blackboard Discussion Board. The response must be approximately 200 words. The
comments (reply to other learners) must be approximately 75 words in length.
Midterm and Final: The midterm and final will be assigned through Blackboard. The
midterm and final will be objective. You will have several days to complete it but once
you start, you must finish.
Final Research paper: The student will prepare a 5-page paper, which focuses on a
specific topic of interest to the student relating to the US Health Care System. The paper
must be typed, double-spaced with a 1-inch margin around each page. The paper should
be digitally dropped to the instructor. The paper must be created as a Microsoft Word
document. The topic must be approved by the instructor. Please email the instructor with
your chosen topic. Example of topics include: Government Intervention in the Health
Care System, The Role of HMOs in the US Health Care System, Comparing the US
Health Care System to systems employed in Western Europe.
Evaluation:
The final grade is determined as follows:
Participation in Discussion Board (10 points per week)……100 points
Quarter Paper
200 points
End of Chapter Questions (10 points per week)…………….100 points
Midterm
100 points (objective)
Final…………………………………………………………100 points (comprehensive)
Assignments (10 points each)
150 points
Total Points………………………………………………….750 points
Withdrawal Policy: Standard University of Cincinnati policy. Students who want to
withdraw from this course, must do so by completing a drop online or “Add-Drop Form.”
This form can be obtained through the College Registration Office.
Plagiarism: 1. Submitting another’s published or unpublished work, in whole, in part,
or in paraphrase, as one’s own without fully and properly crediting the author with
footnotes, citations, or bibliographical reference. 2. Submitting as one’s own, original
work, material obtained from an individual or agency without reference to the person or
agency as the source of the material. 3. Submitting as one’s own, original work, material
that has been produced through unacknowledged collaboration with others without
release in writing from collaborators.
ADA: Students with Disabilities: The policy of the University of Cincinnati Clermont
College requires students to self-identify and provide proper documentation to the
Coordinator of Disability Services, Jenn Radt, Student Service Building, for appropriate
academic assistance.
Tentative Schedule - Winter 2009
Week 1
01/05
Introduction
Chapter 1: Major Characteristics of
US HealthCare Delivery
Week 2
01/12
Chapter 2: Foundations of US Health
Care Delivery
Chapter 3: Historical Overview of
US Health Care Delivery
Week 3
01/19
Chapter 4: Health Care Providers
and Professionals
Week 4
01/26
Chapter 5: Technology and Its
Effects
Week 5
02/02
Chapter 6: Financing and
Reimbursement Methods
Week 6
02/09
Midterm Chapters 1-6 (Available 02/12-02/15)
Chapter 7: Outpatient Services and
Primary Care
Week 7
02/16
Chapter 8: Hospitals
Chapter 9: Managed Care and Health
Networks
Week 8
02/23
Chapter 10: Long Term Care
Services
Week 9
03/02
Chapter 11: Underserved
Populations
Chapter 12: Cost, Access and
Quality
Week 10
03/09
Chapter 13: Health Policy
Chapter 14: The Future of Health
Services Delivery
Week 11
03/16
Final: Chapters 7-14 (Available
03/16-03/19)