HP402 Half Unit
Measuring Health System Performance
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Alex Carter
Availability
This course is available on the MSc in Global Health Policy, MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing, MSc in International Health Policy and MSc in International Health Policy (Health Economics). This course is freely available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. It does not require permission. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to Apply
Priority for enrolment in Health Policy (HP) courses will be given to students from the Department of Health Policy, especially where the course is listed in their Programme Regulations.
Any remaining places will be offered to students from other departments who have HP courses listed in their Programme Regulations, and then on a first-come, first-served basis.
By submitting an application, you confirm that you meet any specified prerequisites.
Written statements will not be considered and will not affect your chances of being accepted onto a course.
Application opens: 10am on Thursday 25 September 2025
Do not apply before this time. Please make your selection as soon as possible once course selection opens.
Offers will be made by: 12pm (noon) on Monday 29 September 2025
For queries:
- Course content: Contact the Course Leader listed on the course guide.
- Application process: Email the Programmes Team at healthpolicy@lse.ac.uk
This course has a limited number of places (it is controlled access) and demand is typically high. Places are allocated first to students in the Department of Health Policy and then on a first come first served basis to students outside the department.
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 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 students are expected to:
- understand the principles of performance measurement
- appreciate the challenges, approaches, and opportunities in performance measurement in four dimensions: population health, patient outcomes, equity, quality and appropriateness of care, and productivity
- understand the methodological issues facing performance measurement relating to risk adjustment, developing composite measures, and measuring attribution and causality
- identify key issues relevant to policy makers relating to: developing targets and reporting on progress to the public, and developing incentives to improve performance
Teaching
15 hours of lectures and 13.5 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.
Formative assessment
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%)
Essay (75%, 3000 words)
Key facts
Department: Health Policy
Course Study Period: Winter Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 33
Average class size 2024/25: 11
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.