Health Sciences

This subject is oriented around some of the practical challenges which distinguish health care management from management in other settings. We explore the particular challenges involved in managing clinical programs and public health programs; managing health care practitioners, health care technologies and health care systems. In each case we look beyond the health sector to see what can be learned from management practice in business and other sectors. We explore styles of leadership in diverse health care settings and in settings beyond health. 

Policy is the practice of history. Policy practitioners need to understand the dynamics through which health systems evolve. The comparative and historical study of health systems contributes to contemporary policy practice at all levels from description, interpretation, explanation and prediction to prescription.

Students approaching the comparative and historical study of health systems progress through three levels of learning.

In this subject the focus is on changing concepts in and approaches to public health and community health. We assess the strengths and weaknesses of different institutional arrangements and tools for public health and primary health care and their inter-relationships. We explore contemporary international health promotion practices and their application to health priorities in China.

The topics covered in this subject range from system-wide health care financing to budgeting and accounting at the institutional level. Resource allocation is covered from the descriptive and analytical perspective (sources, pathways and distributions) and from the strategic perspective (different strategies for organising resource allocation). We also develop practical skills in budgeting, costing, accounting and audit. We acquire methods and skills for business planning and capital planning.

In this subject we study key applications of health information in health care, planning and evaluation including the principles, tools and technologies of health informatics. There is a strong focus on the principles of health information system development and evaluation at the institutional, programmatic and system-wide levels. There is a segment also on performance indicators: theory, methods and practical applications.

This subject involves a theoretical and a practical approach to organisational performance. Topics covered include: determinants of organisational performance; evaluation of organisational performance; models for quality improvement; strategic management and performance improvement; quality and efficiency; clinical governance and risk management; making clinicians accountable and managers responsible; integrating a focus on quality across all management work and the use of performance indicators in health services administration.

As a capstone subject, this unit is the culmination of students’ Masters studies and incorporates the major piece of original work required. Throughout the year, students work to identify, design, organise and conduct an action learning project addressing a chosen aspect of health care management, health promotion or public health. This unit integrates skills and knowledge gained in other units in the postgraduate programs of the School of Public Health, and deepens skills in project management. We recognise and value the practical experience that students bring to their academic study.
The concept of reflective practice is applied, and students have the opportunity to examine their styles and practice, consider their development needs and how they might ensure ongoing learning throughout their careers. Publication of an article from the work done in this unit is strongly encouraged.

Students will be organised into learning sets which will enable peer support and mentoring throughout the unit. Each learning set will have an assigned mentor from the Unit Resource Team who will be available to work with the students throughout the year. Depending on the topics chosen, additional mentors may be identified throughout the term.

Assessment in this subject involves preparing for a field work project during the intensive study in Melbourne and then undertaking this project on return to the student's place of work (usually from December to April the next year) and then preparing a report describing the project and its outcomes. Students are encouraged to publish their reports in peer-reviewed journals.