Health Systems Development: Health systems, Policy and Research from Coursera

This specialization is intended for people interested in health systems and how they function. Participants will learn about the global health systems landscape and the challenges and opportunities to achieve better health outcomes.

This specialisation is divided into three courses which are offered as massive online open access courses (Courses 1-3), and a fourth course which is offered as part of the Online MPH degree (capstone). The Health Systems Development specialisation is geared toward learners who have no prior knowledge of health systems or those who are starting to explore this area of study. Overall, sessions in this specialisation span 16 week with approximately 96 hours of viewing learning materials per week. Formative assessments in the form of quizzes and activities are incorporated throughout the weeks to help learners gauge their level of depth of understanding and to prepare them for their summative assessments.

Participants will have the opportunity to explore a range of areas within health systems. The first course will introduce the main building blocks of health systems and shed some light on key components of well-functioning health systems including how health system performance is assessed. In course two, students will learn how to conduct a health impact assessment and how to assess the impacts of policies, plans and projects, as well as how that support decision-makers make choices regarding alternatives and improvements to prevent disease or injury and to actively promote health. The third course explores human resources for health and service delivery. In this course, students will learn about and analyse country experiences in transforming health services delivery, and interventions and to address human resources for health challenges at a global level.

By the end of this specialisation, learners should be able to identify key components of, and critically compare, different health systems; analyse country experiences in transforming services; and apply theoretical framework for assessing the health impacts of policies, plans and projects.

What's inside

Syllabus

Health Impact Assessment

This week you will learn about health impact assessment, what that means in terms of assessing the health impacts of policies, plans and projects, and how that helps decision-makers make choices about alternatives and improvements to prevent disease or injury and to actively promote health.

Health Impact Assessment Exercise

This week you have the opportunity reflect on what you've learned earlier, particularly the enablers and barriers faced by public health specialists when conducting a health impact assessment, as you apply a theoretical framework for assessing the health impacts of policies, plans, and projects and design a health impact assessment based on provided data.

What is health systems policy and research?

This week you will focus on how health systems can, and need to be, be resilient to adapt to the changing health landscape. Attention will be on the role of health policy and systems research to tackle these issues.

The role of health policy and systems research in global health

This week the focus will be on your potential perspective roles as future health systems researchers and how you can influence change. You will have the opportunity to discuss the relevance and importance of health policy and system research in informed decision making and reflect on your role and responsibility as a public health specialist/ health systems researcher.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches skills, knowledge, and tools that are highly relevant to industry

Taught by Dr Sondus Hassounah, who are recognized for their work in health systems

Offers hands-on labs and interacive materials

Builds a strong foundation for beginners in health systems

Prerequisite knowledge not required, so accessible to learners without prior experience

Covers key components of well-functioning health systems, including health system performance assessment

Reviews summary

Highly educational health systems course

Learners largely say that this course is highly educational with very good preparation in health systems policy and health impact assessment. The readings provided assist in learning. Learners may also exchange ideas with other students.

Learners may share ideas with one another.

"It taught me so much. I even shared ideas with my university student. They were surprised as some concepts were helpful to them also."

Supplemental readings are useful.

"The readings help supplement the teaching."

The course delves into health impact assessment (HIA) and the importance of health systems policy decisions.

"This course is good as it delves into Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and the importance of health systems policy decisions."

Learners gain valuable knowledge.

"this really helps in opening new knowledge with health system specially in my country"

"Great course. I've learned a ton from this course."

"It taught me so much."

Overwhelmingly positive reviews.

"this course was great!"

"GOOD"

"Good"

Monitoring of how students review each other's work could be improved.

"Lecturers and Facilitators should monitor how students review each other's work."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Health Systems Development: Health systems, Policy and Research with these activities:

Connect with health systems experts

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Connecting with experts in the field of health systems will provide you with valuable insights and guidance for your learning journey.

Browse courses on Networking

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Attend industry events or conferences
Reach out to professionals through LinkedIn or email
Ask for informational interviews

Calculate health indicators

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Practicing the calculation of health indicators will strengthen your analytical skills and enhance your understanding of health system performance.

Browse courses on Health Metrics

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Find data on health indicators for a specific country or region
Use the data to calculate the health indicators
Compare the results to other countries or regions

Develop a health policy brief

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Developing a health policy brief will help you apply the principles of health policy and systems research to a real-world issue.

Browse courses on Health Policy

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Identify a health issue or problem
Research the issue and develop policy options
Write a policy brief that summarizes the issue, options, and recommendations

Show all three activities

Career center

Learners who complete Health Systems Development: Health systems, Policy and Research will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Health Policy Advisor

Health policy advisors provide advice and guidance to policymakers on health policy issues. This specialization may be particularly useful for aspiring health policy advisors, as it provides a comprehensive overview of health systems and the policy landscape.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Policy Advisor

Health Systems Analyst

Health systems analysts design and evaluate health systems. This specialization may be particularly useful for aspiring health systems analysts, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the methods used to evaluate their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Systems Analyst

Health Services Researcher

Health services researchers conduct research on the delivery and effectiveness of health services. This specialization may be particularly useful for aspiring health services researchers, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the methods used to evaluate their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Services Researcher

Health Policy Analyst

Health policy analysts conduct research and analysis on health policy issues, and make recommendations to policymakers and other stakeholders. This specialization may be particularly useful for aspiring health policy analysts, as it provides a comprehensive overview of health systems and the policy landscape.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Policy Analyst

Public Health Specialist

Public health specialists work to improve the health of communities through a variety of interventions, including health education, disease prevention, and health promotion. This specialization may be useful for aspiring public health specialists, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the factors that influence the health of populations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Health Specialist

Health Economist

Health economists apply economic principles to the study of health and healthcare. This specialization may be useful for aspiring health economists, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the economic factors that influence their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Economist

Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists investigate the causes and distribution of diseases and other health problems in populations. This specialization may be useful for aspiring epidemiologists, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the factors that influence the health of populations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Epidemiologist

Biostatistician

Biostatisticians apply statistical methods to the study of health and healthcare. This specialization may be useful for aspiring biostatisticians, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the statistical methods used to evaluate their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Biostatistician

Global Health Consultant

Global health consultants provide advice and guidance to governments, NGOs, and other organizations on global health issues. This specialization may be useful for aspiring global health consultants, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the challenges and opportunities they face in a global context.

See salaries and explore the career path for Global Health Consultant

Health Informatics Specialist

Health informatics specialists use information technology to improve the delivery and effectiveness of health services. This specialization may be useful for aspiring health informatics specialists, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the use of technology to improve their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Informatics Specialist

Health Program Manager

Health program managers plan, implement, and evaluate health programs. This specialization may be useful for aspiring health program managers, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the factors that influence their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Program Manager

Healthcare Consultant

Healthcare consultants provide advice and guidance to healthcare organizations on a variety of topics, including strategy, operations, and finance. This specialization may be useful for aspiring healthcare consultants, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the factors that influence their performance.

See salaries and explore the career path for Healthcare Consultant

Medical Writer

Medical writers create and edit medical content, such as journal articles, patient education materials, and marketing materials. This specialization may be useful for aspiring medical writers, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the factors that influence the health of populations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Medical Writer

Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

Pharmaceutical sales representatives sell pharmaceutical products to doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers. This specialization may be useful for aspiring pharmaceutical sales representatives, as it provides a strong foundation in health systems and the factors that influence the use of pharmaceuticals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Pharmaceutical Sales Representative

Hospital Administrator

Hospital administrators are in charge of the overall management of hospitals and health systems. While a background in healthcare administration is often necessary to enter this role, this specialization may be useful as it provides an overview of health systems and the challenges and opportunities they face. This course may help equip you with some of the specialized knowledge necessary to succeed in a hospital administration role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hospital Administrator