Introduction to Health Systems
Lecture 1
Outline
Basic definitions
◦ Different perspectives on health and health care
◦ Definition of “Health Systems”
How the pieces fit together
Dimensions of functioning
Syndromes of dysfunction
Syndromic management
Health is A Right
“… health, which is a state of complete
physical, mental and social wellbeing, and
not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity, is a fundamental human right and
… a most important world-wide social
goal.”
Alma Ata Declaration-1973
Health Comes from Purchased Medical Care
“No man . . . has a right to
medical care; if he cannot pay for
what he needs, then he must
depend on voluntary charity.”
—Leonard Peikoff, The Ayn Rand Institute
Health is due to Social Conditions
“The improvement of medicine will
eventually prolong human life, but the
improvement of social conditions can
achieve this result more rapidly and more
successfully.”
◦ Virchow
Important Distinctions
Health vs. Health Care
◦ Health refers to a state of the human body and
mind
◦ Health Care refers to chemicals, devices, and
services used by people to improve their health
Health insurance
◦ A system of paying for unpredictable needs for
health care
Basic Definitions
Economic Units
◦ groups of individuals brought together for a common
purpose
Economic Agent-
◦ an individual with a specific role in the system, e.g. a
patient, a nurse, a manager
Institutions-
◦ Norms, rules of conduct, established procedures e.g.
property, corporations, paying fines, tipping waiters
Definition of systems
Economic systems
◦ a collection of economic units, agents, and
institutions that interact coherently; adapting
and adjusting to the social and physical
environment
(Expect definitions of coherence, adaptation,
adjustment)
Health systems
◦ economic systems that are concerned with
human health
Adaptation, Adjustment, Coherence
Adjustment
◦ transforming and redistributing resources to improve
function, exploit opportunities, resolve weaknesses
within existing institutions
Adaptation
◦ evolving or planning new institutions to solve
problems
Coherence
◦ Degree to which agents and units coordinate their
activity for common purpose
7 Principal Health Systems
1. Primary health service delivery system
2. Health workforce
3. Leadership and governance to assure quality
4. Health systems financing
5. Supplying medical products and technologies
6. Health systems information
7. Households
what is a health care system?
The World Health Organization defines a
health care system as the organization .
*, institutions, people, and resources whose
primary purpose is to promote, restore
or maintain health .
*. It’s commonly agreed that these different
types of organizations can only achieve
their goal by working together. After all,
health is one of the most basic human
What is health care management
Health care
management is the
planning, hospitals, and
other medical facilities.
Health care
management roles are
crucial to the overall
operations of the health
care system
The health care manager’s role:
s role is to ensure that
medical facilities are
operating efficiently,
effectively, and under
proper working conditions
.
also ensures that resources are
correctly and efficiently used within
a health care system. They may
also handle the hiring and
administration of staff
Health care managers:
work with a diverse and
comprehensive team of doctors,
surgeons, nurses, and more to
ensure that all administrative
operations are well-handled and
representative of every
stakeholder’s needsHealth care
department manager: These are
managers responsible for
overseeing the practices of a
specific team or department
within a health care organization
Health care organization
Health care administrator: Health
care administrators manage and
provide oversight to an entire health
care facility such as a hospital,
clinic, or larger health care system.
Health care finance manager:
Health care finance managers are
responsible for the financial
management of health care
organizations. They oversee
expenditure, income, budgeting,
and keep and maintain records of
the organization’s finances
Research manager:
Research managers are responsible for
developing research proposals, analyzing
data, and studying new trends in the
health care system
What’s the Difference Between
Healthcare Management &
Healthcare Administration?
Healthcare Management is a broad field,
generally referring to the management of
many or all aspects of a healthcare facility
or office. This can include management of
staff, budgeting, development of processes,
communication across leadership teams,
and other varied tasks
Healthcare Administration, on the
other hand, typically refers to
managing staff specifically. Some
tasks include handling the hiring,
on-boarding, and supervision of
staff, along with creating
schedules and managing
scheduling conflicts
Cont….
Healthcare Administration can also include
creating processes and policies that affect staff.
Depending on the role, those in Healthcare
Administration can work directly with patients,
as well
Exercise
Reflect on your role in your health
system
◦ Do you have power?
◦ What form does it take?
◦ How do you deploy it?
If your goal were to be in a position to do
the most to improve your health system
◦ Who would you be?
◦ Where would your power come from?
Government Interventions
Provides
◦ Provides health insurance
◦ Provides health care
◦ Maintains healthy environment
◦ Informs people about healthy lifestyles
Sustains
◦ Funds health research
◦ Funds health worker training
Maintains standards
◦ Licenses health workers
◦ Approves drugs and devices
◦ Approves hospital construction
Dimensions to Assess
Output
Stability
Fairness
Efficiency
Protection
Freedom
Sovereignty
Innovation
Summarizing
Distinguish: Health vs. Health Care vs.
Health Insurance
Defined economic systems
Defined health systems
◦ Agents, Units, Institutions
◦ Adapt, Adjust, Cohere
7 Health Systems
7 Dimensions
