Chapter 1: Introducing Health Policy and Policy Studies Flashcards
Policy
Plans and procedures developed and implemented by governments, agencies, organizations and associations to achieve desired goals
Public policy
A course of action chosen by public authorities to address a given problem that is anchored in a set of beliefs about the best ways to achieve goals
Health policy
Subset of public policy regarding politics, power and process
Health policy vs healthcare policy
Health policy encompasses a broader range
Health equity
All residents have access to resources and health services
Health inequity
Unequal health outcomes across population as a result of unjust systemic practices
Political ideology
System of ideas about what key issues are and what should be done about them
What does health policy encompass?
Both health care and other health-related public policies such as financing and delivery
(broader focus)
Health care in Canada
Publicly financed system of public health care insurance and the government allows the private sector to have a larger role in policy making (single payer system)
US health care system
Dominated by market driven approaches; consists of a wide range of private health insurance plans
What did Tommy Douglas implement?
Social welfare
Universal Medicare
Old age pensions
Mother’s allowances
What were the two phases of Medicare implemented by Tommy Douglas
- Remove financial barrier btwn those giving and receiving service
- Reorganize and revamp delivery system
Federal government role in health policy
Pays for health care system and sets up regulations about what is covered
Provincial government role in health policy
Delivers health care programs
Universality
All Canadians entitled to receive health care services without user fees and receive the same quality of care regardless of location
Health care guarantees
Establishing a max wait time for each type of major procedure or treatment and when it is reached the government must pay for the patient to go elsewhere are receive it
What do health care guarantees lead to?
Privatization of health care such as allowing private specialized clinic to provide certain surgeries and allowing private insurance schemas to support health services
Impacts of privatization of health care
More efficient and shorter wait times
Poorer quality care, worse outcomes and higher mortality rates
Consensus model of policy
Concerned with how various groups compete to influence public policy
Consensus model aspects
Assumptions from natural and physical sciences
Rational consideration of alternatives
Cost/benefit analysis
Focus on technical issues
Limitation to consensus model
Little focus on economic, political and social forces
Technical issues
Day-to-day organization, financing and delivery of health care
Conflict model of health policy
Consider the role that ideology and power play in shaping health policy
Conflict model aspects
Economic, political or social forces affect policy
Focuses on inequalities such as with gender, race, social class, disability
Individualism
The belief that the focus of attention w regard to health care and health policy should be on the individual rather than the environment
Polis Model
Acting in interest of the collective; focuses on community well-being rather than the individual
Ideology of polis model
Social democracy
Motivations of polis model
Public interest and self-interest
Chief conflict of polis model
Self interest vs public interest
Nature of collective activity of polis model
Cooperation and competition
Building block of social action of polis model
Groups and organizations
Sources of change of polis model
Ideas, persuasion, alliances, pursuit of power, pursuit of public interest
Market Model
Social system in which individuals engage in various activities, usually economic, to enhance their welfare; exchange of goods and services w little government involvement
Ideology of market model
Neoliberalism
Motivations of market model
Self interest
Chief conflict of market model
Self interest vs self interest
Nature of collective activity market model
Competition
Building blocks of social action market model
Individuals
Sources of change market model
Material exchange, quest to maximize
What is Medicare?
Public provision of health care financed through taxation rather than fee-for-service
