The resource course is recommended for students enrolling as International Students as well as US students with limited experience with the US health care system. The course provides you with some of the terminology and concepts affecting delivery of health services in the United States, compared to most other countries where access to health/medical services is taken for granted and health care is seen as a right.
This course is conducted using distance learning techniques. Students are expected to take the initiative to understand the basics of the US Health Care system before starting class in the fall. The course is offered on-line year round, so that newly accepted students can get a jump start to the MPH program.
Although the syllabus is segmented into sessions each student may proceed at their own pace. This is an unmonitored course with no quizzes. However a discussion forum is provided on the Epi resource page in the VCU My Portal. After you have posted items on the forum, if you want a quick response send an email Dr Buttery. telling him you have placed an observation on the discussion forum. Other students are encouraged to reply to and comment on their peers, or faculty submissions, on the forum.
The Required Text is “Essentials of the US Health Care System” by Shi & Singh, published by Jones and Bartlett. The text may be purchased on-Line at
http://publichealth.jbpub.com/catalog/076373151X/
To take part in interactive discussion of your efforts in this class you wll need an VCU Electronic Identification (EID) you cannot get this until you have enrolled into the MPH Program. Once you have enrolled you will need to go the the "VCU portal" from the VCU Home Page using your new EID to log in. Once you get there you will find a link to the Epidemiology resource page. On that page there will be a link to this coursre as well as a discussion forum for use by students usuing this resource.
Syllabus
Session 1 Objectives of a health care system
Session 2 Major Characteristics of U.S. Health Care Delivery
Session 3 Foundation of US Health Care Delivery
Session 4 Historical Overview of U.S. Health Care Delivery
Session 5 The U.S. Prevention Emphasis
Session 6 Read Chapter 6. Financing & Reimbursement
Session 7 Health care systems in the UK and Canada compared to the US
Session 8 The U.S. Public Health System of the Future
Session 9 The U.S. Hospital System
Session 10 Managed Care & Integrated Organizations.
Session 11. Underserved Populations