Fall 2020 - HSCI 206 D100

The Economics of Health and Health Care (3)

Class Number: 8235

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Thu, 8:30–11:20 a.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    HSCI 130.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Students will gain an introductory understanding of the theories and concepts that underpin economics and be able to demonstrate how these can be applied to provide insights for health policy, health care decision making and health technology assessment. Students with credit for HSCI 306 may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Health care systems throughout the world are faced with rising costs and increasing demands. It is perhaps inevitable that there is a consequent tendency to turn to the discipline of economics for help. Much of the interest in this discipline arises from a belief that economics is about economizing, about saving money. This is inaccurate. Economics is about the use of scarce resources in an efficient and equitable way. This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive but accessible introduction to economic principles and applications. Students will develop an understanding of the theories and concepts that underpin economics, and how these can be applied to provide insights for health policy and health care decision-making.

For the Fall 2020 semester, the course will be delivered through remote instruction. The course will comprise six units, covering the full 13 weeks of the semester. The majority of lectures will be pre-recorded (i.e., asynchronous teaching), with the three hours of scheduled lecture time each week (Thursdays, 08:30 to 11:20) used for a combination of Office Hours and group/class activites. Further details will be provided in Week #1 of class. Pre-recorded lectures will be used to introduce key themes and represent a starting point for students to engage in self-directed study.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

The study of economics as applied to health and health care is likely to be new to all FHS students. This does not make the course a ‘bad fit’ for the faculty – quite the opposite. The application of simple economic principles provides very useful insight for decision-making in all areas of health care (such as clinical practice, public health, commissioning health services, etc.). No prior knowledge of economics is necessary. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to understand and to analyze critically, from an economic perspective, commonly debated health issues in modern societies. Students will demonstrate their competency with the course material through written assignments and a group presentation, as well as through participation in class discussion/activities.

More specifically, students will be able to...

  • Define fundamental concepts of economics and articulate these concepts in health and non-health contexts
  • State and explain potential reasons for market failure in health care
  • Analyze a range of issues associated with the demand for health care (e.g., standard frameworks, inducement and insurance) 
  • Apply economic reasoning to debate the role of government in the health system
  • Contrast different economic evaluation study designs and understand areas of metholodological debate

Grading

  • Written Assignment #1 (to be confirmed) 30%
  • Written Assignment #2 (to be confirmed) 40%
  • Group Work & Presentation (to be confirmed) 30%

NOTES:

If you cannot meet an assignment deadline due to medical reasons, you must contact me before the deadline (email or telephone). Medical justifications will require a completed Certificate of Illness form (http://www.sfu.ca/content/dam/sfu/students/pdf/certificate-of-illness.pdf). If you are allowed to make up for a missed assignment, the assessment method could comprise any format.

I will review non-medical extenuating circumstances on an individual basis. If there is a family problem that you must attend to, I require a written explanation of the reason for your absence, and some means of verification. If you think you may need an alternate date to submit/complete an assignment in order to observe a holy day for your religion, you must provide a written request during the first two weeks of class.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Hurley JE. Health Economics. 2018

NOTE: prior to 2018, this book was published by McGraw-Hill Ryerson (2010). Students can now purchase the eBook through Campus eBookstore (http://www.campusebookstore.com/) by clicking Shop and then selecting eBooks.
ISBN: 9780666386199

RECOMMENDED READING:

Throughout the course, links to online peer-reviewed articles will also be provided through Canvas. Some journal articles will be required reading, some will be recommended reading.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).