Course Descriptions – MSc/PhD HSR

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• To develop core knowledge of knowledge transfer and exchange issues, concepts, models and methods
• To understand the uses of knowledge transfer and exchange in research, policy making, management and clinical practice
• To learn how to apply knowledge transfer theory and practice to student research
• To learn techniques to help in the measurement and evaluation of knowledge transfer and exchange

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1. To understand performance measurement frameworks and models that are currently available across the health care system (what to measure and why).
2. To describe several different methods for identifying, selecting and validating specific types of performance measures (how to measure – soundness, relevance).
3. To become familiar with emerging issues in the calculation, reporting, and uptake of individual components of performance measurement frameworks by varying stakeholder groups (appropriateness, feasibility, and relevance of measures and frameworks).

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• To introduce learners to different types of economic evaluations.
• To acquaint learners with the approaches and viewpoints that applied health economists bring to health services research.
• To apply economic evaluation techniques to important contemporary issues in Canadian health services research and decision-making.

• Explain the meaning of implementation science/knowledge translation
• Identify and explain various theories underlying implementation science/knowledge translation
• Describe determinants that influence the utilization of knowledge, practice and technology
• Discuss the applicability and mechanism of action of various implementation strategies
• Understand the effectiveness of approaches/strategies and how they can be tailored/optimized
• Design a quality improvement program or research study involving implementation

1. To introduce learners to regression as a technique for creating cost-effectiveness estimates.
2. To introduce learners to regression as a technique for handling uncertainty in cost-effectiveness analysis.
3. To acquaint learners with advanced techniques from regression that can be applied to cost-effectiveness analysis.

Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to:

1. Have a better understanding of economic evaluations and their potential roles.
2. Identify multiple ways of creating cost-effectiveness estimates and characterizing their uncertainty; understand their strengths and limitations.
3. Analyze person-level cost and effect data in a way that improves the chances of it being published.
4. Explain the results of their cost-effectiveness analysis in a way that improves the chances of it being understood.
5. Write the “economics” section of a grant proposal (e.g. CIHR) in a way that improves the chances of it being funded.

• Be able to choose and apply the various philosophical foundations, traditions, and methods grouped under the rubric of “qualitative research” and appreciate the complexity of doing qualitative research
• Have experience with and able to apply the main techniques used for gathering qualitative data
• Have experience with and be able to apply the different analytic strategies used in qualitative research, including coding and development of themes
• Have experience with and be able to write up the results of a qualitative study

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• To identify key philosophical & theoretical issues in MMR and multiple examples of mixed method designs.
• To contrast key features of quantitative and qualitative research.
• To articulate and reflect on their own perceptions about the current state of MMR.
• To apply and demonstrate knowledge about collecting and analyzing data to an original MMR project.

• Choose the right research question
• Use appropriate data and statistical methods to address the question
• Interpret results

Description: Research in Health Informatics (HI) is generally applied in nature. However, as the field grows and matures, there is a growing need to develop its theoretical foundation. The body of knowledge and theory in HI stems from diverse disciplines as Information Science, Computer Science, Cognitive Sciences and Human Computer Interaction, Communication, Management Information Systems, Social Psychology, and Sociology. The purpose of this course is to expose students to theories from the above disciplines that have informed, or could possibly inform, research in HI. The course will be delivered as a graduate seminar and students will select theories, present them to the class, and discuss their potential use in health informatics research.

Objectives: At the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe and explain in-depth, a number of theories from cognitive, social, and information sciences;
• Explain and discuss how these theories may inform research in Health Informatics, as well as the limitations of these theories and their applicability to Health Informatics.
• Incorporate theory from cognitive, social, or information sciences into their own HI research as demonstrated, for example, through a theory-informed research proposal.

• Understand when and how to use surveys
• Acquire and apply skills in survey development
• Understand what testing is appropriate to ensure validity of a survey
• Appreciate diverse data analysis techniques and reporting considerations
• Develop critical skills in assessing surveys
• Understand the importance and roles of qualitative and quantitative approaches in surveying

• Enable a better understanding of the OB field
• Provide the skills to critically analyse and evaluate academic research
• Enable the integration into research of approaches and insights from OB

• Describe the opportunities for AI to provide value in health care and how to engage with health care providers to identify real clinical problems that AI can address.
• Explain the regulatory and ethical frameworks that govern AI development in health care, including a working understanding of the governance of personal health information, the regulation of software as a medical device, and fairness in AI.
• Develop roadmaps for how AI can be integrated into the health care environment, including clinical decision support design, health care interoperability paradigms, and clinically relevant model explanations.
• Develop practical knowledge of the idiosyncrasies of healthcare data types, how to define AI research questions in health care, how to interface with hospital information systems, how to satisfy privacy and security requirements during AI development, and how to transition AI research projects into production.

Description:The course will introduce the field of knowledge translation (KT) and implementation science. With an increased demand for evidence-based health practices, researchers and practitioners have become aware of the complexities involved in optimizing the uptake of knowledge from research and transferring research findings into practice and policy. To do this effectively requires tailor made approaches well aligned to the complexities of health systems and their wider environments. This increased emphasis has also led to explorations of approaches that are likely to work and the evolution of the KT and implementation science field. It is important for researchers and practitioners alike to develop understanding and insight into KT and implementation science so they can incorporate these in their work, and contribute towards enhancing the quality and effectiveness of their health systems.

The course will delineate the main features of KT and implementation science and provide students with the opportunity to develop insight into the wider environment that has shaped this field. The course consists of core components where the main KT and implementation science concepts are defined; it discusses the history of the field and the different foci that have shaped the evolution of the field; it presents perspectives, theories and frameworks used in KT and implementation science; and it introduces the main research approaches and methodological challenges for the practice of KT and implementation science.

These introductory components will provide a basic foundation for the students to start to explore a few topics in more detail, including the social network perspective of KT and implementation science; the sustainability of the interventions; the need and challenges for de-implementation; the complexity science approaches to implementation science; implementation science in global health; and different approaches to scaling the health interventions.

The course will provide a general overview of KT and implementation science so in future courses students can start to build their capacity to incorporate KT and implementation components in their research. The course will be taught by the two course directors, other IHPME faculty and other leading scholars in this field. Emphasis will be placed on active student participation to deepen students understanding of the field.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the core concepts of the KT and implementation science field and explain what factors and conditions have shaped its evolution.
• Outline the main theories and frameworks used in KT and implementation science and be able to critically apply them.
• Describe main challenges for KT and implementation science and compare and contrast approaches that have been used to address them.

Description: Leadership skills are essential to make a positive contribution to health and societal well-being in a range of career paths. The challenges confronting health systems are increasingly complex and it is recognized that research skills alone are insufficient to catalyze change. The growing emphasis on learning health systems requires a skillset that encompasses research and leadership and an ability to work in collaborative partnerships within complex systems. The COVID-19 pandemic and the weaknesses and inequities it has emphasized in health and healthcare systems require sophisticated research expertise coupled with inclusive leadership skills to build forward stronger and more equitably. However, leadership training is under-emphasized in most health services and policy (HSP) and population and public health (PPH) PhD programs. Complementing the PhD student’s research toolkit with leadership skills that emphasize equity, diversity and inclusion and opportunities to develop mentorship relationships with health system leaders will elevate the student’s ability to lead, inspire change and apply innovative solutions to complex challenges in a diversity of career pathways. This course aligns with The Canadian Health Services and Policy Research Alliance (CHSPRA) pan-Canadian Training Modernization Strategy and its aims to prepare a new cadre of PhD graduates for embedded research and leadership roles within health system organizations and learning health systems.

Using a combination of interactive seminars, small-group dialogue and mentorship with health system leaders, and applying an equity, diversity and inclusion lens throughout the course, this specialized full-year 0.5 credit course (credit / no credit) IHPME & PHS course will elevate students’ leadership readiness by introducing the art and science of inclusive leadership and how to apply leadership skills to make a difference in health systems. The course comprises two-hour online interactive sessions held every three to four weeks with asynchronous interaction in-between sessions.

The leadership domain areas this class covers include: leading self, collaborative leadership, working with policy and decision makers, change leadership, influence and impact, communicating for impact, project management, cultures of inclusive leadership, leadership skills for sustainable health systems, and career preparedness. Students will receive unconscious bias training at the outset of the course.

Please note: This course is led by Drs. McMahon, Essue and Sullivan and introduces students to a range of academic and health system leaders with expertise in key areas of health system leadership. Each session provides an opportunity for students to meet, engage with and learn from academic and system experts in the subject domain area (e.g., Tina Smith, Christine Shea, Abi Sriharan, Steini Brown, Sam Oduneye, Mimi Lowi-Young, Robert Steiner, Seema Marwaha, Alison Paprica, Akwatu Khenti, Fiona Miller and more). Additionally, students have an opportunity to interact and engage with health system mentors throughout the duration of the course.

• Knowledge related to health system leadership, awareness of unconscious bias in the health system, and strategies to lead and foster cultures of inclusive leadership
• Capability to integrate research and leadership skills to address complex health system challenges
• Identified personal leadership strengths and development needs, and constructed goals and strategies for growth
• Ability to identify and describe the leadership competency skills they were introduced to
• Developed new relationships and an extended professional network involving peer, emerging and established health system leaders
  

• Learn how to present a scientific paper
• Learn about a range of econometric (regression) methods that can be applied to health and health care data

• Integrity in research practise
• ethics in research involving human participants

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Knowledge of key ethics principles and frameworks in bioethics and in public health
• Ability to apply these principles when analyzing the ethical issues in research scenarios
• Ability to analyse different perspectives in areas of ethical controversy

• To introduce participants to theoretical and empirical research conducted internationally in health economics.
• To acquaint participants with major public policy issues in the field of health that have attracted the attention of health economists.
• To develop analytic skills so that participants will be able to read and critically evaluate theoretical and policy research in health economics.

1. To provide students with an understanding of the design and conduct of a range of experimental and non-experimental quantitative research designs applied to HSR.
2. To further develop an understanding of research methodologies, introducing more complex forms of study design and higher-level methods applicable to HSR.

By the end of the course:

• Students will possess a sound understanding of the fundamental principles and methodological aspects of the conduct and critical appraisal of HSR that can support them in assessing the quality of existing studies, developing their own research proposals and ultimately conducting more rigorous research.

• Understand and analyze the processes by which public policies are formed and implemented,
• Perform comparisons of policy alternatives,
• Analyze and discuss case studies in class,
• Organize and manage an in-class discussion of a case study, and apply appropriate theoretical concepts to better understand and analyze public policy.

• Introduction to Canadian politics
• Policy formation – including roles of Royal Commissions, task forces, committees, etc.
• Budgetary system
• Policy outputs (including distributive, regulatory, redistributive policies)
• Policy instruments
• Factors influencing policy formation, especially pressure groups and media
• Inter-governmental relations
• Inter-departmental relations; resource allocation within departments
• Policy/Administration tension
• Roles of experts vs/ generalists; administrators vs. politicians
• Role of quasi-independent agencies; regulation

• To introduce priority setting (resource allocation) and different approaches and perspectives to priority setting, including traditional disciplinary perspectives.
• To examine different ethical issues in priority setting and introduce ‘accountability for reasonableness’ as a priority setting framework for health care institutions
• To examine the most recent cutting-edge research and/or practice improvements.
• To develop and present a case study of priority setting in learner’s own context

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• Demonstrate an understanding (both conceptual and practical) of the analysis approaches covered in this course;
• Identify appropriate analysis approach(es) to address specific research questions;
• Identify appropriate analysis approach(es) to use with data that has already been collected;
• Use of the computer program SPSS for data management, statistical exploration and analysis, and understanding and explaining results;
• Present analysis results in APA format.

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1. Conversance with dominant theories of organizational behaviour and their relevance to the study of issues in health services organizations;
2. Ability to critically analyze a research article that uses as its theoretical framework one of the theories discussed in seminar;
3. Ability to develop a viable research question(s) that is motivated and explored using one or more of the theories discussed in seminar

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1. A comprehensive understanding of a range of conceptual and theoretical issues relevant to comparative health systems and policies.
2. An understanding of health system structures and typologies and the ability to use typologies when comparing health systems.
3. An understanding of some of the key health system and policy differences and similarities among high income and LMIC countries.
4. A developed ability to apply relevant concepts and theories to differing health systems or to comparative issues in health policy in general and to compare and contrast health policies across jurisdictions at each stage of the policy cycle.
5. An ability to apply the ideas and methods learned in this course in a major research paper on a topic of interest to the student and that will hopefully be relevant to the student’s dissertation for those in the doctoral track.

1. Understand the role of evidence synthesis and the different approaches to systematic review for health services, systems and policy research
2. Become familiar with the basic concepts of traditional systematic reviews and meta-analyses for different research designs
3. Appreciate the limitations and challenges of applying evidence synthesis methods in practice by conducting a systematic review/meta-analysis
4. Acquire theoretical and practical skills to conduct systematic review and meta-analysis

• Understand the history/evolution of CSR
• Understand and appropriately use CSR terminology
• Understand the strengths/weaknesses of CSR and emerging approaches for critically appraising CSR
• Understand key elements in the design, conduct, analysis and reporting of CSR
• Develop a CSR protocol

• To introduce participants to the theoretical tools used in economic analysis.
• To enable participants to apply these theoretical tools to the analysis of a range of health policy issues.
• To develop analytic skills so that participants can critically evaluate theoretical models encountered in the health economics literature.

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• Draw upon and integrate the research theories and methods used in  a variety of disciplines to define a research question and plan a health services research project;
• Develop a conceptual framework for a research study and use it as the basis for a study design;
• Understand the application of quantitative and qualitative methods used in health services research;
• Demonstrate the analytic skills required to critically read and evaluate the health services research literature;
• Develop and defend a research question, conceptual framework and methodology that addresses an important health services research question.

• Class facilitation
• Literature review
• Development of conceptual framework
• Poster presenting study justification, conceptual framework, study design, and study methods

Evaluation – Winter Term (HAD6770H)

• Class facilitation
• Critical appraisal of a research paper
• Draft research proposal (paper & presentation)

1. To ensure familiarity and understanding of health care/health services research conceptual frameworks and methodologies.
2. To be able to evaluate and critique a research conceptual framework and research methodology.
3. To be able to select and apply an appropriate research conceptual framework and methodology to any health services research question.

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1. Undertake a comprehensive review of the key concepts and theories from the management and organizational sciences literature which have been applied, or have viable application potential, to management in the health services industry,
2. Identify and critically analyze the strengths and weakness of varying research traditions in health services management research,
3. Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of varying methodologies used to study managerial and organizational issues in health services management and the general organizational literature, and
4. Prepare the student to formulate and clearly articulate relevant, topical research questions and to develop viable research designs/plans by which to pursue them.

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• A comprehensive understanding of a range of conceptual and theoretical issues relevant to health policy (including appropriate citations to the literature covered)
• A comprehensive understanding of the structure and ongoing evolution of health systems in Canada
• A developed ability to apply relevant concepts and theories to topical issues in health policy
• An ability to present ideas clearly and cogently

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• Develop a research question relevant to health informatics
• Develop an appropriate research plan to explore/answer the research question
• Critically assess relevant theoretical frameworks
• Prepare an academic piece of work such as a manuscript of publishable quality (or equivalent piece of work)
• Lead/facilitate an in-depth class discussion on a current health informatics issue/innovation
• Present their research proposal/findings to peers
• Provide constructive feedback on their peers’ research

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• To prepare the student for the HTA comprehensive examination
• To ensure competency in core concepts and methods in the HTA field

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Description:This reading course examines how health economics is applied in low-and middle-income countries.

The course will examine the following specific topics:

• The complex disease burden in low- and middle-income countries;
• The bi-directional relationship between economic growth and health;
• The intersections between the disciplines of development economics and health economics that support and advance improvements in health outcomes;
• Issues that affect health and health system development in low- and middle-income countries, for
  example: administration and governance, priority setting for health and health human resource planning;
• How the concept of equity is advanced to address disparities in health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.

The course includes both a guided reading list of key topics and an independent reading list designed and developed by the learner. The reading list includes a series of recent and pivotal papers from the field of health economics in order to introduce concepts, methods and case studies across a selection of low- and middle-income countries that reflect different disease burdens and levels of economic and health system development.

Objectives:

Using a series of practical case studies and key papers, by the end of the course, learners are expected to understand how the discipline of health economics has been applied in research and practice in low- and middle- income countries to:

• address health challenges, particularly the double disease burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases;
• support the improvement of health and economic outcomes; and
• support the strengthening health systems;

Students will also be able to:

• Critically evaluate key health issues that are relevant in low- and middle-income countries within the guided reading list as well as the learner’s area of interest, the methods used to analyze these issues and the conclusions reached; and
• Contribute critical insights, informed by the health economics discipline, on key global health issues (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals, Universal Health Coverage).

• To gain knowledge of the dominant theories of affect and (un)ethical behavior as they pertain to both individual and organizational functioning
• To understand the cognitive and affective processes through which unethical attitudes, behaviors, and decisions permeate an organization
• To utilize concepts and theories of affect and ethics to create viable research questions that provide insight into questions faced by individuals and organizations working in the health services sector

Description: This course offers an evidence-informed overview of current thinking on developing and scaling innovative integrated health and social care programs in high-income countries. The course will draw on reports from leading health policy think tanks and recent large multi-disciplinary international research projects that have examined the policy context for innovation n integrated health and social care, the design elements of these complex innovations and issues related to their spread and scale.

This course provides students with core concepts, principles and practical tools that they can use to understand, analyse and apply health system innovation concepts and research. The course focuses on innovations that bring together health and social care services to meet the challenge of providing effective and efficient care to populations with high needs and costs. The course will support the development of skills in using conceptual frameworks and research studies to better understand health system challenges  and opportunities for innovation in integrated care with a focus on practical application of those skills in system transformation. Students will develop written and oral communication skills so that they can concisely and coherently describe and defend policy and system innovation options based on evidence and accepted frameworks.

• An understanding of key conceptual models and evidence that support the focus on integrated health and social care as a strategy to address the needs of complex needs populations
• An ability to use accepted frameworks to describe and compare complex integrated care innovations
• An ability to use basic principles of policy analysis and program evaluation to describe and address challenges in the spread and scale of integrated care innovations to the local context.
• The ability to communicate in short written documents and oral presentations a structured synthesis of concepts, principles and evidence that provide the basis for informing policy recommendations and approaches to system innovation in a range of contexts

• To introduce students to design thinking and innovation and expose them to the process of design thinking to develop their ideas
• To train students to immerse themselves in a problem, think creatively of alternative and then iteratively prototype new solutions
• To develop the student’s ability to focus on listening, user empathy, whole-brain thinking and collaboration
• To be able to transform good ideas into great innovations by finding ways to develop a strong implementation plan

• Understand the concepts related to quality of care and articulate the determining characteristics of quality of care and importance in health systems.
• Analyze and discuss current trends in quality of care globally.
• Identify and understand key interventions to improve quality of care at scale in health systems and be able to discuss their evidence and limitations.
• Be familiar with and discuss methods for measuring quality of care within and across health systems.
• Expand thinking and engage in discourse on the implications of quality of care for health systems globally.
• Develop a national quality strategy

Description: This course examines health issues in developing countries from the standpoint of applied health economics. Specific topics include:

(1) understanding the disease burden in developing countries;

(2) identifying bi-directional relationship between economic growth and health;

(3) recognizing unique issues such as human resource and administration/governance, impact health in a development context and

(4) understand the differences between optimal health decisions from an individual and national perspective and health preferences.

The course includes both a guided reading list of key topics and an independent reading list designed and developed by the participant. The reading list include a series of recent and pivotal papers in the health economics field that highlights concepts, methods and case studies across different countries and all set within the health economics framework.

Objectives:

Using a series of practical case studies and key papers, by the end of the course, learners are expected to understand how the discipline of health economics has been applied in research and practice in low- and middle- income countries to:

• address health challenges, particularly the double disease burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases;
• support the improvement of health and economic outcomes; and
• support the strengthening health systems;

Students will also be able to:

• Critically evaluate key health issues that are relevant in low- and middle-income countries within the guided reading list as well as the learner’s area of interest, the methods used to analyze these issues and the conclusions reached; and
• Contribute critical insights, informed by the health economics discipline, on key global health issues (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals, Universal Health Coverage).

• Describe the principles of qualitative research and key qualitative research traditions
• Be familiar with applied, pragmatic approaches to qualitative research
• Describe and apply core techniques for qualitative data collection, analysis, ensuring rigor and critical appraisal
• Design a qualitative research project

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