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

• 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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• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Understand the unique challenges of health care and possible solutions in developing countries through a series of practical case studies and key papers in health economics in this field.
• Understand topical health policy issues as it applies to developing countries.
• Critically evaluate key health economic issues within the guided reading list as well as participant’s area of interest, the methods used to analyse these issues and the conclusions reached.

• 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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