CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH

COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM

Course Syllabus: HCA 202 – Health Care in America

Fall 2007 – Syllabus

Instructor: Kathleen O’Guin, BA, MBA Class Information-

Telephone: 562-491-4838 Days/Hrs: Mondays from 4:00 to

Fax: 562-491-7985 6:45 p.m.

E-Mail: Location: EN2 107

Office: HCA Department Office Office Hrs: By appointment

Course Description: This course examines the structure of the current health care system including the services, financing, political, and social forces that influence its organization. Contemporary health issues such as cost, quality and access are introduced and discussed within the context of current health care organizations. Access and diagnostic/treatment differences of ethnic minorities including African American, Asian, Latino, Native American and other groups, as well as gender disparities including sexual orientation will be discussed.

Expected Objectives and Outcomes:

n  Identify and define healthcare acronyms

n  Understand how the American healthcare system evolved and continues to shape

current healthcare policies

n Describe services and programs of the healthcare continuum

n Define several financing mechanisms in healthcare

n Analyze social forces affecting health in medically underserved areas

n Describe healthcare politics and policy information

n Outline parameters of healthcare reform

n Outline the issues surrounding cost, quality, and access among vulnerable subgroups

n  Demonstrate the impact of ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity on receiving

appropriate health services

n  Examine the impact of gender and sexual orientation on obtaining or receiving

appropriate health services

Text: Shi, Leiyu and Douglas A. Singh. Delivery Health Care in America: A

Systems Approach 3rd Edition, Gaithersburgh, MD: Aspen 2004

Suggested Reading:

Los Angeles Times – Health Section appears each week on Monday

California Hospital Association News –

American Hospital Association News – Daily Report for Healthcare Executives

Medical Group Management Association - www.mgma.com

The national membership association providing information, networking, and professional development for the individuals who manage and lead medical group practices.

HealthLeaders website - http://home.healthleaders-interstudy.com

Nick’s Blog - Official weblog of F. Nicholas Jacobs, FACHE, President and CEO

of Windber Research Institute and Windber Medical Center (writings of a hospital CEO)

Student Assignments and Grading

Late assignments will be downgraded 20% for each day of delay. Students absent for either the mid-term or final exam must provide written third party documentation of unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances in order to be eligible to take a make-up exam. Disable students who qualify for alternative testing arrangements, please advise the instructor at least 2 weeks prior to the exam. No assignments will be accepted after the day of the final exam.

Total points available

I. Class Preparation, Participation, Attendance 50

II. Two Current Health Article Summaries (35 pts each) 70

III. Mid-Term 80

IV. Final Exam 125

V.  Non-Profit Organizational Assessment Paper 125

VI.  Presentation of Organizational Assessment 50

Total Points 500

Final course grade computation: 400-500=A; 300-400=B; 200-300=C; 100-200=D; 0-100=F

I. Class Preparation, Participation and Attendance

The class format will be lecture and interactive discussion of the assigned readings and other relevant materials. You are expected to have read the assigned readings before the class session, and be prepared to discuss them. Lectures will cover highlights of the reading and include supplementary information. If you have trouble understanding what you read or hear, please ask for clarification in class or make an appointment with me to discuss the problem area(s). Attendance policy conforms to University policy; http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/aa/grad_undergrad/senate/documents/policy/2001/01/.

Disabled students requiring special accommodations, please advise instructor.

II.   Current Health Article Summaries

Two article summaries are due at any time during the semester but must be delivered to the instructor by the last day of the regular semester. Students may choose either an article from a Mainstream Media outlet ( LA Times, Newsweek, MSN, etc.) or from a Health Trade outlet (Modern Healthcare magazine, Southern California Physician, California Hospital Association News, etc.)

Students will prepare a one page outline according to the format below:

1)  Summary of article (provide a copy of the article with your summary)

2)  Discuss the significance of the article (What is the current environment in which it is written? Why write the article now? Was there an event that triggered the author to write on the subject?)

3)  How will healthcare financing, delivery, payment or access be affected by the information in the article? For example, if the article is about current research or a change in the law, how will this affect healthcare financing, delivery, payment or access? How will the patients be affected by the content of the article?

III.   Mid-Term

The Mid Term will be open book and will cover Chapters 1-5

IV.   Final

The Final will be open book and will cover Chapters 1-14

V.   Non Profit Organizational Assessment

Each student will select a non-profit healthcare organization (free clinic, a healthcare association, local health agency, etc.). Gather information about the organization and interview one of the healthcare administrators or executive directors at the organization to understand how it is run and the challenges faced by non-profit health organizations. Student will prepare an organizational assessment in the format below:

1)  Describe the organization (size, number of employees, what product(s)

or service(s), how long in business, target audience/market, etc.).

2)  Discuss some of the major challenges for the organization (access, reimbursement, reform, market share, operational, other).

3)  Describe how the organization raises money. Discuss what steps the organization takes to its non-profit status.

4)  Discuss what part (services, screenings, serving a special population, etc.) the organization plays in delivering healthcare in the community.

Each student will submit a written organizational assessment to the professor on December 10.

VI. Presentation of Organizational Assessment

Each student will present their findings from their organizational assessment to the class in a 5-10 minute discussion on December 17.

Extra Credit Assignments

(Maximum of 5 points per week)

Each week students will have the opportunity to earn 5 extra credit points per week. Students will select a current healthcare article and present the information and your opinions about the article to the class. Extra credit assignments will be accepted from Class #2-14.

The information you present from the article and your opinions should cover the following:

1)  Summary of article

2)  Discuss the significance of the article (What is the current environment in which it is written? Why write the article now? Was there an event that triggered the author to write on the subject?)

3)  How will healthcare financing, delivery, payment or access be affected by the information in the article?

Note: Other opportunities for extra credit will be available throughout the semester as pre-approved by the instructor.

Cheating and Plagiarism

Please be aware of and ensure that your behavior conforms to the University Policy; as contained the California State University, Long Beach Policy Statement 85-19, dated December 13, 1985.

Performance Expectations and Deadlines

Assignments are due on the date specified. Late assignments lose 20% of the points available for each day past the deadline. The Final Exam will not be accepted after the Final Exam date/time (Monday, December 17 from 5-7 pm).

Withdrawal Policy.

Per University Policy see: http:/www.csulb.edu/divisions/aa/grad_undergrad/senate/documents/policy/2002/02/.

Withdrawal after 2nd week and before final 3 weeks “permissible for serious and compelling reasons:” instructor will evaluate student withdrawal requests on a case by case basis.

Tentative Class Schedule

Class # / Monday / Topic / Text Reading
Assignments / Class Work
1 /

September 10

/

Introduction/review course outline

2 /

September 17

/ Health Care Delivery / Chapter 1 / Acronym Challenge
3 / September 24 / Beliefs, Values, and Health / Chapter 2 / -History of medicine and medicines in different cultures
4 / October 1 / Evolution of Health Services / Chapter 3
5 / October 8 / Health Services Professionals / Chapter 4 / -COPE speaker
-Health Assessment
6 / October 15 / Medical Technology / Chapter 5 / Take home Midterm Distributed
7 / October 22 / Health Services Financing / Chapter 6 / Midterm Due
-Who Pays Game
8 / October 29 / Outpatient and Primary Care Services / Chapter 7 / Eleanor Cochran, Outpatient Clinic Speaker
9 / November 5 / Inpatient Facilities and Services / Chapter 8 / -Lori Muir, Ethics Speaker
-Distribute 5 Wishes
10 / November 12 / Managed Care / Chapter 9 / -Example HEDIS report cards
11 / November 19 / Long Term Care / Chapter 10 / Rachel Plotkin, Special Populations speaker
12 / November 26 / Special Populations / Chapter 11
13 / December 3 / Cost, Access, and Quality / Chapter 12 / Distribute Take Home Final
14 / December 10 / Health Policy and Future of Health Care Delivery / Chapter 13/14 / Kathy Crow, Bioterrorism Speaker
15 /

December 17

/ Final Exam Due/Presentations