PUBH7014 Health Financing
This course is an introduction to current trends in health financing in both the developed and developing world.
Course co-ordinator profile: Ms Eliana Jimenez
Why is health financing an important component of an education in population health?
My own story is a good illustration of why it is important. I trained in law and worked in policy in my home country of Columbia – health policy, pension reform, workers compensation etc. And I always had economists coming in with their models and alternative scenarios showing why some proposals were sustainable while others were not, or demonstrating that while some policies looked good on paper, they could lead to increasing inequality or would fail to alleviate poverty. I realized that sound policymaking should be grounded on solid evidence and that policymakers need to understand how funding is collected and how resources are allocated. They need to be aware of the economic and financial implications of different policy proposals. That’s why I think it’s important that anyone working in health policy understands the basics of health financing – that is, where does the money come from? How is it used? What are the efficiency-equity tradeoffs of different financing mechanisms?
Pullout quote:
Anyone working in health policy needs to understand how the health system is funded.
What international examples do you use in the course and how do they help students learn?
We provide an overview of the main health systems in the developing and developed worlds and postgraduate students can select the system of any country to study. But, since policymakers are often faced with new challenges, it is more important that students develop critical thinking. They need to be able to appreciate the practical implications of the way a health system is designed and funded. They need to know why a particular financing mechanism may work in one country but not in another.
Why do you personally find this interesting?
I am most interested in health policy issues in developing countries and the financing structure of a health system has profound effects on the system performance. It affects the potential amount of resources available and the extent to which health services can reach the poor and vulnerable in an efficient and sustainable manner. Working on health financing helps policymakers to appreciate the big picture and recognise that, though anything is possible in theory, health policy must always be feasible.
Students can enrol now in PUBH7014 or email enquiries@sph.uq.edu.au for more information.
View Course Profile
