NURS 680 - Healthcare Delivery Systems and Innovation

Credit(s): 2
Prerequisite(s): None.
This course examines the economic, legal, fiscal, political, epidemiological and evolving global factors that influence health care delivery systems. Inter-professional health communication, collaboration, and the utilization of health information technology in promoting public health are explored. The impact of innovation as a driver of health care change is emphasized. Important components include access and utilization, sociopolitical advocacy, community engagement, and empowerment for safe, quality health services. Ethical and legal implications of health care decisions and the responsibility of creating a caring environment will also be examined.

The course covers current challenges faced by the U.S. health care delivery system and how health policy, both historically and today with the Affordable Health Care Act has sought to address these challenges. Health care delivery systems from other countries are compared with the U.S. health care delivery system for relative strengths and weaknesses. Health care concerns associated with population and public health, including how the behavior of individuals and groups influences health will be analyzed as well as risk factors associated with vulnerable populations. Logistics of the U.S. health care system will be analyzed with regard to how it is organized, who makes up the workforce, how health care is financed, the costs and value of health care, how it is managed, and the role of information technology. Finally, the future of health care delivery in the U.S. and health policy will be explored.

This course requires a grade of B (3.0) or better.