HP434      Half Unit
Methods and Data for Health Systems Performance Assessment

This information is for the 2023/24 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Andrew Street

Availability

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Health Data Science. This course is available on the MPA in Data Science for Public Policy. This course is not available as an outside option.

Students will not be permitted to take both HP402 Measuring Health Systems and Methods and Data for Health Systems Performance Assessment courses. 

Course content

This course aims to present a framework to discuss the opportunities and challenges with performance measurement in health care, examine the various dimensions and levels of health system performance, identify and apply the measurement instruments and analytic tools needed, and examine the implications of these issues for policy makers and regulators. Lectures generally focus on measuring health system performance in high-income countries but draw on the experience of other countries where relevant. 

After taking this course student will be able to:

1. understand the complexity of different health systems

2. appreciate the challenges, approached and opportunities in performance measurement in four dimensions; population health, patient outcomes, equity, quality adn appropriateness of care, and productivity

3. be familiar with the construction of key indicators used by health systems and providers to measure population health, patient outcomes, equity, quality of care and productivity

4. apply different methodologies used for risk adjustment, to develop composite measures, and to measure attribution and causality

5. identify key issues relevant to policy makers relating to policy evaluation using measures of performance 

Teaching

Teaching will be delivered in no less than 29 hours and includes lectures, seminars and workshops delivered in the Winter Term. 

Formative coursework

Students will be expected to produce 1 piece of coursework in the WT.

Indicative reading

  • Papanicolas I, Smith P (Eds) Health System Performance Comparison: An Agenda for Policy, Information and Research. Maidenhead: Open University Press, 2013;
  • P Smith, E Mossialos, I Papanicolas S. Leatherman (Eds), Performance measurement for health system improvement: experiences, challenges and prospects. Cambridge University Press, 2010.
  • Institute of Medicine, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. Washington, DC, National Academies Press, 2001;
  • OECD, Measuring up: improving health system performance in OECD countries. Paris: OECD, 2002. World Health Organization (WHO), (2000)
  • The world health report 2000:Health systems: Improving performance, Geneva: WHO Publications

Assessment

Presentation (25%) in the WT.
Essay (75%, 3000 words) in the ST.

Key facts

Department: Health Policy

Total students 2022/23: 21

Average class size 2022/23: 11

Controlled access 2022/23: Yes

Lecture capture used 2022/23: Yes (LT)

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of numeracy skills