Students in this course describe the causes and consequences of historical events on health and medical care in the United States. They explain barriers related to cost, quality, and access to health and medical care. Students examine unique and complex aspects of subsystems and classify vertical and horizontal integrated healthcare delivery systems. They compare characteristics of healthcare in the U.S. with healthcare systems in other countries. Students also identify current and future issues, trends, and forces in healthcare reform.

The focus of this course is on the application and use of information technology to support clinical and managerial decision making in healthcare. Emphasis is placed on information technology that supports the delivery of services, including the collection, storage, retrieval, and communication of data; information systems safeguards; ethical and legal issues; and information management to promote patient safety and quality of care. Information literacy and basic hardware and software concepts are addressed. Fundamental software applications, including spreadsheets and healthcare databases, are considered.

Students in this course are introduced to a patient-centered interprofessional model for healthcare delivery in which individual practitioners collaborate as members of a team. Students examine the benefits of this interprofessional approach for patients and providers, focusing on how it can lead to improved outcomes. They also explore and discuss professional challenges and institutional barriers, such as delineation of responsibilities, reimbursement, and licensing. Students have the opportunity to gain practical experience with the patient-centered model through the analysis of a patient case study, a hypothetical interprofessional healthcare team, and an appropriate treatment plan. They also consider the benefits of such a model on the future of healthcare.

Many factors, such as access, affordability, insurance, quality, safety, and technology, affect the delivery of healthcare and the development of policies. In this course, students examine the nature of healthcare facilities, major factors influencing the quality of care, and the impact of policy initiatives on all stakeholders, including providers and consumers. They explore the major issues in acute and long-term healthcare policy and practice from the perspective of the patient and the provider. Students devote special attention to the social, institutional, economic, and regulatory contexts in which providers deliver services. Using concepts and issues addressed in the course, students complete a variety of application-based activities, such as a comparison of healthcare facilities in their region and an analysis of the practical role of policy.

The individual and group behaviors within healthcare organizations often have a direct impact on organizational success and the ability to deliver quality care. In this course, students examine the theories of behavior of healthcare organizations at the macro (organization-wide) level and micro (individual and team performance) level. Students explore factors that influence an organization's behavior and performance, including the role of culture, group processes, and interactions. Sharpening analytic skills, students apply theories of motivation to assess a hypothetical situation. They also investigate famous leaders to analyze leadership traits, including the ability to implement and lead others through change.