Course Description

This course will examine the allocation of resources for health care and health promotion in Canada. Students will develop a clear understanding of the components of health systems, and how the financial, human and capital resources used are financed (where the money comes from), how resources are allocated across the system (funding) and the influence of health professional remuneration (payment) on service delivery. Canadian approaches will be compared with those in selected other countries within a global context. Issues of financial sustainability and efficiency in health care systems will be examined along with proposals for system reform to improve quality and control cost increases in Canada and elsewhere. Topics will include hospital funding, physician payment, pharmaceutical pricing, alternate financing approaches, and the role of provincial and regional structures in allocating funding for long-term care, rehabilitation and community health programs.