Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Sufficiently Indoctrinated

Rather than teaching physiology or immunology, our school devotes this entire month to population health, epidemiology, and health policy. The three subjects complement each other well: we learn statistics to analyze epidemiology papers and use such studies to devise policies that affect population health. The most eye-opening course for me so far has been health policy. I didn't realize how little I knew about health care economic infrastructure and payment schemes until they were explained to us in great (and sometimes tedious) detail.
Health care coverage is relevant, nonintuitive, and downright confusing. Economics, policy, and politics are certainly not topics I have learned much about from sources other than the media. Every day, for four weeks, we learn about geographical variations in health spending, insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, cost growth, managed care, medical malpractice, health care quality, and health care reform.
If the purpose of a mandatory health policy course is to get future doctors to think about costs more frequently and intelligently, the short-term results seem pretty good. Now, during our population health lectures, it is not uncommon to hear a student ask the lecturer about the cost-effectiveness of an intervention--and then apologetically explain the fiscal interest as, "It's just that we're taking health policy now..."
I don't remember these sheepish questions ever surfacing before.
Additionally, I have wondered if my classmates--and tomorrow's doctors--know what it feels like to be without health insurance. About one in three Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 is currently uninsured, and about one in four of those ages 24-64 is. We are required to have insurance while we are in school. But have we ever experienced any time without it?

5 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I feel your pain. Health policy courses aim to develop critical analysis of the students regarding the issues within health policy, planning and financing. I do hope you'll learn about health insurance plans as well.

    ReplyDelete
  3. anglo-auto-leasing.org |

    auto-corner.org |

    auto-fank.org |

    canariasautos.org |

    emmrautoauction.org |

    nordauto.org |

    autoproj.org |

    autoskola-hyvnar.org |

    cashforjunkauto.org |

    ez-autorental.org |

    Great post full of useful tips! My site is fairly new and I am also having a hard time getting my readers to leave comments.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Along with nicely comprehensive function, various neck of the guitar designs, adornments as well as line function, the nicely installed gucci replica match could make any kind of guy stick out within the group. Range of supplies for the Pathani match tend to be numerous as well because they can be found in man made fiber, khadi as well as polyster. Using their range, vibrancy however fashionable functions, versions strolling lower the actual ramps inside a custom Pathani fits possess a worldwide louis vuitton replica sale as well as managed to get popular within the Worldwide style signal. For individuals who can’t pay for the custom Pathani match, don’t possess a cause to get rid of center. The internet buying websites would be the greatest locations to seize greatest offers affordable. Therefore, in the event that you are searching for on the internet Pathani fits or even conventional men’s put on, wedding ceremony add-ons and much more cultural put on through Indian, these types of websites might help obtain that which you gucci replica. Because house providing the merchandise is actually part of their own client providers, it's not an issue regardless of whether you're surviving in Indian or even overseas. Individuals possess various tones associated with pores and skin. Although whitened individuals navigate to the seashores to obtain a suntan, proceed sunlight swimming as well as make use of devices to obtain a level tanned colour, a lot of women along with dark brown as well as louis vuitton replica uk pores and skin would like the fairer, lighter in weight pores and skin. Many people appear to chanel outlet some thing compared to exactly what they've, as well as sensible entrepreneurs tend to be usually about the look-out in order to fill up people’s requirements as well as desires.

    ReplyDelete