Overview
The health system in Canada is a core part of how Canadians view themselves. How does Canada’s system compare to others in terms of safety and quality? What about other aspects, such as access to care, equity (across provinces, among groups and communities and being patient-centred? How do we measure these components, and what is being done to change and improve Canadian health care? Even though Canadians are healthier than ever before, what areas of the system continue to need reform? These are the types of questions we will examine in this course.
To understand health care issues, to contribute to policy debates, and to address administrative concerns, you need to understand how health care currently works. In this course you will learn about health care: not just the part you work in or are most familiar with, but also all the interacting parts, such as the structure, funding, organization, processes, people, and policies that arise at federal, provincial, community, and institutional levels. You’ll learn about the current challenges and opportunities and be prompted to think creatively about where health care can improve and how we can achieve better health outcomes for Canadians. The aim of this course is to help you form your own evidence-based ideas about the health system.
Outline
HADM 339 is divided into nine units:
- Unit 1: Introduction to the Canadian Health Care System Book
- Unit 2: Sustainability, Health Care Costs and Financing Book
- Unit 3: The Health Status of Canadians: What Is It, What Causes It, What Can Be Done About It
- Unit 4: Primary Care: The Foundation
- Unit 5: Hospitals and Pharmaceuticals
- Unit 6: Home Care and Long-Term Care
- Unit 7: Safety and Quality in the Health Care System
- Unit 8: Who Provides Health Care?
- Unit 9: Challenges, Threats, and Opportunities
Evaluation
To receive credit for HADM 339, you must complete all assessments, achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the Final Examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:
| Activity | Weight | Complete by |
| Tutor-marked Exercise 1 | 15% | after Unit 3 |
| Tutor-marked Exercise 2 | 15% | after Unit 5 |
| Essay Assignment | 30% | after Unit 8 |
| Final Examination | 40% | after Unit 9 |
| Total | 100% | |
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
Materials
This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Duckett, Stephen. (2012) Where to from here? Keeping Medicare Sustainable. McGill Queen's University Press.
Student Manual
Athabasca University. (2012). Student Manual. Athabasca AB: Author.
Study Guide
Duckett, S. (2012). Health Administration 339: Organization of the Canadian health care system—Study guide. (2012). Athabasca, AB: Athabasca University.