Assignment 1: Short answer questions - 4 questions – 10 marks each – Total: 40 marks
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Due Date: 27th September (11:59 pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT))
Marks: 40 marks (or 40% of the overall result for this course)
Word limit: All submissions should not exceed the given word limits.
Assignment won’t be marked after the given word limit for question / part / overall assignment has reached. For example: If the given word limit for an assessment/ question is 300 words, anything after 300 words + extra 10% will NOT be marked. So, be very careful when preparing your assessment. For any confusion regarding word limits, contact your course co-ordinator.
Late Submission of Assignment: As per University of Newcastle policies, the marks for an assessment item submitted after the designated time on the due date, without an approved extension of time, will be reduced by 10% of the possible maximum mark for that assessment item for each day or part day that the assessment item is late.
Note: this applies equally to week and weekend days.
Instructions:
• You must complete all 4 questions
• Each question has equal marks = 10
• Please read through all 4 questions carefully, and then answer the sub-questions completely. You can use the sub-questions as templates/sub-headings to write your answer.
• Make sure your responses have a proper structure with appropriate sub-question numbers and consistent referencing. Follow one referencing system throughout.
• Each important statement that is not your own needs to be referenced, not just the whole paragraph or section. Sentences that are not your own should be paraphrased.
• Complete the referencing tutorial provided in the course material if you are not familiar with what is expected.
Question 1: Module 1: Overview and introduction to health systems and policy
Systems thinking
According to AIHW data (2019), Australians living in rural and remote areas have a lower life expectancy, higher burden of diseases, difficult access to health services, and poor healthcare service utilisation compared with people living in metropolitan areas.
‘Rich picture diagram’ is an excellent way to explore, identify, analyse, and define a situation/issue and express it through an unstructured graphical diagram. A rich picture helps to create a mental model and find inter-relationships between different health system factors. Rich picture is usually the first step of systems thinking and policy development. It is also used to derive a comprehensive conceptual framework of projects.
Use A4 size paper to hand-draw a “rich-picture diagram” of all possible health system issues using the socio-ecological model. You should use graphics and text to draw the ‘rich picture diagram’. Google ‘rich picture’ to get some ideas and be creative. It is ok if you are not good at drawing, it won’t affect your marks.
Scan or post the photo of this rich picture diagram (7 marks) and write a brief explanation (250 words) of your diagram (3 marks).
Marks will be based on the following criteria:
• Hand drawn diagram (should be readable) – 1 mark
• Identifies determinants and factors associated with the issue – 3 marks
• Logical flow and connections of all identified determinants and micro-macro-level factors in the diagram – 3 marks
• Logical explanation of the diagram and analysis of the issue (max 250 words) – 3 marks
No referencing is needed for this task. However, the rich-picture diagram should be your own.
Question 2: Module 2: Paradigms of health service provision
Tele-health – max 500 words
There has been a significant rise in Telehealthcare/Telemedicine since the beginning of the pandemic. The telehealth sector has evidenced several new initiatives to improve the patient’s experience. Governments around the world are investing in technologies related to telehealth. However, several medicolegal and security issues should be addressed before telehealth becomes an integral part of the health system. Every country will benefit from telehealth and have their challenges.
Choose one country or analyse the situation in your own country and answer the following questions:
• List five benefits of telehealth in your country/country of choice (max 250 words) - (5 marks)
• What are the five challenges of Telehealthcare in your country/country of choice that need urgent attention? (max 250 words) - (5 marks)
Please give in-text references for all important statements.
Question 3: Module 3: Governance within health systems
Interventions to reduce corruption (max 500 words)
Corruption is a global problem and negatively impacts the development of a country. Corruption within the health system is a wide-spread global issue. Unless corruption is addressed, it will be difficult to improve governance and achieve the desired effects on patient care. Several interventions can help to reduce corruption. However, the evidence of most of these interventions remains weak.
Read the summary of a crucial Cochrane review by Gaitonde et al (2016):
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008856.pub2/pdf/CDS R/CD008856/CD008856_abstract.pdf.
You can read the entire report here if you need further information of a particular intervention (optional reading):
https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008856.pub2/full
Answer the following questions:
• What do you think is the most significant health system-related corruption issue in your country/country of choice? Why? (max 250 words) (5 marks)
• Which of the interventions mentioned by Gaitonde et al might work in your country/country of choice to reduce this corruption? Provide explanation for your answer (max 250 words) (5 marks)
Please give in-text references for all important statements.
Question 4: Module 4: Human resources for health
Health staff retention in rural and remote healthcare settings (max 500 words)
Health care staff recruitment and retention in rural and remote healthcare settings is a global challenge. Healthcare staff also have personal and family considerations (school, childcare, social life, lack of job opportunities for the spouse, etc.) that reduce their motivation to work in rural or remote healthcare settings.
For this task, choose a country other than your own. Write a job advertisement to recruit doctor or a nurse to work in a rural and remote health center (several healthcare staff have left that location previously). You can use images or graphics for this task, be innovative.
Use the following subheadings:
• Job title (1 mark)
• About the role (1 mark)
• About the healthcare center/facility (1 mark)
• Key responsibilities (2 marks)
• About you (1 mark)
• Why join us? (3 marks)
• How to apply (1 mark)
No references are needed for this task.