POLECON 555:
New Opportunities in the Changing World of American Health Care
In this class, we will visit and analyze two health care organizations that are experimenting with innovative approaches to delivering care.The visits will highlight:nn- the new technologies that clinics and hospitals are using to improve health outcomes, reduce cost, and enhance customer service;nn- how clinics and hospitals are reorganizing the division of labor between physicians, nurses, and support workers to make optimal use of new technology;nn- the challenges of obtaining payment from an insurance system that has historically focused on the volume of services rather than quality or efficiency.nnnIn the first session, we will review how health care is financed in the U.S. and how the Affordable Care Act, the country's new health reform law, will change the finance and delivery of care starting in 2014. In the last session, we will discuss the two organizations that we visited, which aspects of their approaches are most (and least) likely to succeed, and which areas of the sector offer the greatest opportunities for the future. Students will be expected to participate in both visits and the discussions before and after them.
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