Introduction To Health Systems 4
Introduction To Health Systems 4
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 .
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
.