Examine the political, economic, and social factors that impact the development and implementation of health care laws and regulations. Learn the role that health care organizations, nonprofits, advocacy groups and government agencies play in creating effective public health strategies at the local, state, and federal levels. Develop analytical skills that can be utilized in multiple capacities throughout the policy-making arena. Learn more about this track now:
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Health Services and Policy
Overview
Impact Comes Through Policy
Health Services and Policy Track Courses
PM 547 Public Health Policy and Politics, 4 units
Examination of major policy issues in the U.S. health care delivery system to understand policy options in reforming health care and reducing health care disparities. Prerequisite: PM 508.
PPD 501ab Economics for Policy, Planning and Development, 4 units
Students are introduced to Economic Thinking (ET). Developers survive and prosper by making a very large number of good forecasts and acting on them, accepting the risk that accompanies any action. Developers live in a sea of information and do best if they process the incoming data better than others. ET helps on three levels: we better understand:
1) economic trends;
2) the evolving policy environment; and
3) local conditions (location, location, location). This course will also equip students to benefit from other RED courses such as market analysis, approvals, finance and law
PM 504 Quality in Health Care, 4 units
The course will examine quality assessment at different levels of the health care system, including health plans, physicians, hospital and integrated system performance. The course will examine the influence of the micro perspectives such as the workforce, organizational structure and payment incentives on health care quality. Macro perspective includes strategic planning, alliance, competition, marketing and technology at the health care systems level. The students will also evaluate how quality of health care relates to health outcomes and population health
PPD 560 Methods for Policy Analysis, 4 units
Methods used in the analysis of policy methods, including cost benefit analysis, decision and risk analysis, and applied social science methods
And choose one of these courses:
PM 529 Environmental and Occupational Health: An Epidemiological Approach, 4 units
An overview of environmental health, identifying issues in assessing effects of exposure on health and potential interventions for reducing adverse health risks. PR: PM 510 and PM 512
PM 536 Program Evaluation & Research, 4 units
Overview of concepts, tools, data collection, analysis methods and designs used to evaluate health promotion programs. Examples from substance abuse prevention, family planning and reproductive health programs.
Track Total: 20
Health Services and Policy Careers
Job titles in Health Services and Policy can include:
- Health Policy Analyst
- Legislative Associate
- Manager, Government and Regulatory Affairs
- Manager, Health Policy & Research
- Patient Resource Specialist
- Policy and Advocacy Associate
- Research Analyst
- Research Associate
Agencies and organizations that employ health policy experts include:
- State or local public health departments
- County or city governing bodies
- Nonprofit organizations
- Hospitals or physician groups
- Advocacy organizations (i.e. American Cancer Society)
- Governing bodies
- Government agencies (i.e. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)