This graduate-level course will draw on key concepts from health economics, international health system financing, health system performance and quality improvement, and policy studies to equip you with a foundation of knowledge in health systems and policy. You will use a combination of independent and guided reading, as well as problem-solving seminars to apply your lecture learning to the Ontario context. Students will be able to critically think about economic aspects of health systems issues, and the policy process in the health sector.

Objectives: by the end of the course, students are expected to demonstrate: 1) An understanding of why the competitive market model fails health care. 2) An overview of the different ways of financing health systems, and funding providers. 3) An understanding of why quality improvement has garnered such attention. 4) An appreciation for the challenges of measuring health system performance. 5) A grasp of the health policy process.