In Weeks 2–7, you must attend a policy event that is at least approximately 1 hour or longer in length, and related to the week’s topic. Links to virtual health policy events are posted for each weekly module. You may choose your own policy. Please note that all events must have a health policy focus and be relevant to the week’s topics. Events that have primarily a clinical focus are not acceptable. Because events must be relevant to current health policy issues, they should have taken place within the past two years. If you have questions about the topic of an event or are interested in one that is older than 1 year, check with your instructor first to make sure the event meets the criteria for this assignment.
You may also select a health policy event not listed in the assignment links which can be virtual or in-person. For example, you may consider a local Board of Health meeting, a legislative or executive branch hearing or meeting on a health policy issue, a meeting by an advocacy organization or special interest group, or a meeting of a political party, political group, or political candidate in which a health policy issue is discussed.
Policy Log Guidelines
As a way of demonstrating completion of this course requirement, you must submit, in writing, a policy log that detail certain aspects of each event. Please refer to the Grading Rubric for this assignment.
• Each event log should be 2–3 double-spaced pages of text.
• Provide only a brief summary of the topic being discussed (200-400 words).
• Your analysis section should be 500 to 750 words and be the most developed component of the report. In the analysis section, you can write about the process of policy being made at this event, and/or you can write about the actual health policy issue being discussed/considered. This should be your analysis, and if you refer to an analysis made by an event participant, make that clear in your log. Your analysis should include new information that goes beyond what was discussed in the event by the participants.
• Your analysis should integrate course content and readings. Reference at least two current sources (within the last 6 months) from the learning materials in this course, other sources which may include scholarly sources, health policy reports, or recent media articles.
• Use APA format for citations and references.
Use these Headings in your Policy Logs!
• Name, sponsor, link to the event
• Place, date, length of the event
• Names of participants and their titles
• Brief summary of the topic discussed (200-400 words)
• My analysis of the health policy issue and its implications for health care (500-750 words)Here is a list of places to check
https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/events/
https://www.bu.edu/sph/conversations/status/past/
https://www.centerforhealthjournalism.org/webinars
https://www.commonwealthfund.org/about-us/events
https://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/webinars
https://familiesusa.org/product-type/webinar/Here is what this week’s learning is about
Introduction
The healthcare delivery system is heavily shaped by the healthcare financing mechanisms we choose. Other policy objectives, such as quality and access, must be aligned with the financing systems that support our delivery systems. Attempts to create greater alignment across these policy areas have created new expectations for healthcare providers and professionals and for the networks they join. These networks are increasingly designed to provide services for patients across the full continuum of care from prevention to end-of-life care. At this point, it’s probably not a surprise to you that there are substantial political pressures that both support and undermine these changes.
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Learning Objectives
By the end of this week, you will be able to:
• Describe policy developments and challenges in the health care workforce.
• Analyze health care delivery systems and the alignment of care and financing across the continuum for patients.
• Integrate course content with a policy event related to Week 4 topics.
