Health Policies and Systems

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

The methodology includes lectures, using audiovisual aids, lectures, audiovisual materials, practical examples and classroom discussion. The aim is to promote active and participatory learning, focusing on interaction, to better understand what the health system means and the complexity inherent in its governance. Assessment is carried out through an assignment in the form of an article to be submitted to a scientific journal related to health systems and the various topics covered in the course and its presentation.

Learning Outcomes

The course aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the different models and components of health systems nationally and internationally. Its main objective is to enable students to critically analyse health systems' performance, efficiency and challenges, emphasising equity, quality and sustainability.

Students will develop competencies in health policy evaluation, resource management and financing, and applying value-based approaches. They will also be trained to understand and influence the governance of systems, addressing issues such as public financing for well-being objectives and contractualising in health. Throughout the unit, particular emphasis will be placed on comparative analysis, enabling students to identify good practices and innovations, with particular attention to the Portuguese health system in the international context.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

- Concept of health systems, objectives, functions and main blocks.

- Classification of health systems by various criteria.

- Performance and efficiency of health systems.

- Health as a right and the social contract for health

- Health financing and contractualization, internal contractualization, and public budgets by "well-being objectives".

- Value-based healthcare and the performance of health systems.

- Governance and challenges for health systems.

- The Portuguese health system in the international context.

Head Lecturer(s)

Víctor Manuel dos Reis Raposo

Assessment Methods

Assessment
In-class presentation: 20.0%
Research work: 80.0%

Bibliography

Greer, S. L., Rozenblum, S., Fahy, N., Panteli, D., Jarman, H., Brooks, E.,Wismar, M. (2024). Everything you always wanted to know aboutEuropean Union health policies but were afraid to ask. WHO. Regional Office for Europe.
Zimmermann, J., McKee, C., Karanikolos, M., & Cylus, J. (2024). Strengthening Health Systems: A Practical Handbook for Resilience Testing. In Strengthening Health Systems: A Practical Handbook for Resilience Testing.
Papanicolas, I., Rajan, D., Karanikolos, M., Soucat, A., Figueras, J., & Organization, W. H. (2022). Health system performance assessment: a framework for policy analysis.
Islam, K. M. M. (2024). What is public trust in the health system? Insight into health data use. By F. Gille, Bristol: Policy Press, Bristol University. 2023. pp. 166.£ 45 (cloth).
Siddiqi, S., Mataria, A., Rouleau, K. D., & Iqbal, M. (2022). Making Health Systems Work in Low and Middle Income Countries: Textbook for Public Health Practitioners. Cambridge Uni Press.