HP4B3E Half Unit
Measuring Health System Performance
This information is for the 2020/21 session.
Teacher responsible
Dr Rocco Friebel
Availability
This course is available on the Executive MSc in Health Economics, Outcomes and Management in Cardiovascular Sciences and Executive MSc in Health Economics, Policy and Management. This course is not available as an outside option.
Course content
This course aims to present a framework to discuss the opportunities and challenges with performance measurement in health care, examine the various dimensions and levels of health system performance, identify the measurement instruments and analytic tools needed, and examine the implications of these issues for policy makers and regulators. Lectures generally focus on measuring health system performance in high-income countries but draw on the experience of other countries where relevant.
After taking this course students are expected to:
• understand the principles of performance measurement
• appreciate the challenges, approaches, and opportunities in performance measurement in four dimensions: population health, patient outcomes, equity, quality and appropriateness of care, and productivity
• understand the methodological issues facing performance measurement relating to risk adjustment, developing composite measures, and measuring attribution and causality
• identify key issues relevant to policy makers relating to: developing targets and reporting on progress to the public, and developing incentives to improve performance
Teaching
This course will be delivered online over a period of five weeks in Lent Term as a combination lectures and seminars, totalling a minimum of 20 hours. Students will have access to lecture material delivered as short online videos. Seminars will take place online and students will work in small groups to present topics and lead discussion.
Formative coursework
The formative assessment will be a 750 word draft of the first section of the essay
Indicative reading
Papanicolas I and Smith PC (Eds), Health System Performance Comparison: An agenda for policy, information and research. Maidenhead: Open University Press, 2013.
PC Smith, E Mossialos, I Papanicolas S. Leatherman (Eds), Performance measurement for health system improvement: experiences, challenges and prospects. Cambridge University Press, 2010;
Institute of Medicine, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. Washington, DC, National Academies Press, 2001;
OECD, Measuring up: improving health system performance in OECD countries. Paris: OECD, 2002.
World Health Organization (WHO), (2000) The world health report 2000:Health systems: Improving performance, Geneva: WHO Publications
Students will be given access to essential readings before the course begins through the pre-sessional reading programme on Moodle, which they will be expected to read prior to the first day of class.
Assessment
Essay (100%, 3000 words).
Important information in response to COVID-19
Please note that during 2020/21 academic year some variation to teaching and learning activities may be required to respond to changes in public health advice and/or to account for the situation of students in attendance on campus and those studying online during the early part of the academic year. For assessment, this may involve changes to mode of delivery and/or the format or weighting of assessments. Changes will only be made if required and students will be notified about any changes to teaching or assessment plans at the earliest opportunity.
Key facts
Department: Health Policy
Total students 2019/20: 11
Average class size 2019/20: Unavailable
Controlled access 2019/20: No
Value: Half Unit
