Syllabus

Graduate Programs in Public Health

GPH 706 Public Health Administration – Old Template

Credits - 3

Description

This course provides an overview of the history, content, scope, and processes of public health administration. Emphasis is placed on administration, public health structure and framework, organizational culture, management functions and roles, leadership, motivation, and performance management. Modern public health administration such as accreditation and quality improvement issues are explored.

 

Course Format

This course is facilitated through Blackboard, UNE’s online learning management system. The course will be delivered in 8 weekly online modules, with each module beginning on Wednesday at 12:01 am and ending the following Wednesday at 11:59 pm, except for the last week (Week 8), which will begin on Wednesday and end on Sunday. Students will watch online lectures produced by the course instructor and field experts, engage in readings and other media provided by instructors, and will learn from one another through the discussion board and written assignments. Each section of this course will be facilitated by an instructor with significant professional and academic expertise in the area of study. Individual meetings with the course instructor will be up to the student to schedule.

Materials

Novick, L. F., Shi, L., & Johnson, J. A. (2014). Novick & Morrow’s public health administration: Principles for population-based management. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

This course will meet the following public health competencies based on the model developed by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice.

Course learning objectives are mapped to each of these competencies. Achievement of competencies and learning objectives will be assessed through relevant learning activities including discussion board posts, assignments leading up to a final research project, quizzes and exams.

 

Competency

Course Learning Objectives

2A3. Describes organizational strategic plan (e.g., includes measurable objectives and targets; relationship to community health improvement plan, workforce development plan, quality improvement plan, and other plans)

•   Define strategic planning.

•   Identify methods for organizational change, alignment, and renewal.

•   Describe models for understanding population health issues and developing population-focused health programs.

 

 

3A8. Describes the roles of governmental public health, health care, and other partners in improving the health of a community

•   Describe and analyze health care systems using a conceptual model with a focus on public health systems.

•   Describe and analyze the leadership and management roles and functions within public health organizations.

 

4A3. Describes the ways diversity may influence policies, programs, services, and the health of a community

•   Describe how leaders and managers develop an organizational culture that is based upon ethical standards.

•   Articulate the foundational values and ethics of public health.

 

 

6A6. Describes evidence used in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services

•   Describe the logic associated with the problem- solving approach.

•   Use the problem solving approach.

•   Demonstrate understanding of effective approaches for the motivation of people within organizations.

 

7A8. Describes financial analysis methods used in making decisions about policies, programs, and services (e.g., cost- effectiveness, cost-benefit, cost- utility analysis, return on investment)

•   Describe trends in the organization, delivery, and financing of public health and health care services.

•   Demonstrate understanding of effective approaches to change management and conflict resolution within organizations

 

 

 

8A9. Describes ways to improve individual and program performance

•   Describe human resource needs for effective organizations.

•   Identify the manager’s role in motivating staff.

•   Develop a personal philosophy of leadership and management.

•   Describe organizational processes for identifying key values and shared vision.

 

Assignments

Students are expected to complete all course requirements outlined below. Each course is worth 100 points, and student work is evaluated based on achievement of learning objectives as measured by criteria outlined in the respective scoring rubrics for assignments and discussion boards.

 

Course Requirements

Points /

Percent of Grade

Weekly Forum Discussion/Response (8 weeks x 3 postings per week)

24

Readings and Written Assignments Attached to Each Module

(4 x 4 pts)

16

Library Research

(3 articles x 5 pts each)

15

Proposal for Paper

20

Final Paper

25

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Schedule:

Week 1: June 29 – July 6

Public Health Management and Leadership

Student Learning Objectives:

  • Better understand leadership in public health
  • Gain an understanding of various theories of
  • Develop skills useful in public health leadership
  • Appreciate the unique environment that public health work
  • Learn about the roles and responsibilities of public health

Lecture:

Defining Management and Leadership

Readings:

  • Baker, Edward MD, MPH; Orton, Stephen N. PhD, Practicing Management and Leadership: Vision, Strategy, Operations, and Tactics, Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, September/October 2010 – Volume 16 – Issue 5 – p 470–
  1. Available online through the UNE library: http://www.une.edu/library/ eresources/ftjournals.cfm.
  • Community Tool Section 3. Styles of Leadership. Ku.edu. (2014) http:// ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/leadership-ideas/leadership-styles/main
  • Graham, Ross MSc, CHE; McCann, Melissa MSW; Allen, Natalie PhD, Public Health Managers: Ambassadors, Coordinators, Scouts, or Guards? Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, November/December 2013 – Volume 19 – Issue 6 – p

562-568. Available online through the UNE library: http://www.une.edu/library/ eresources/ftjournals.cfm.

 

Discussion:

Introductions:

Write a brief bio or update your current bio and post it to the roster. Pictures are welcome, but not required. Include your interests, background, public health activities, goals, and reason for taking public health courses. What do you hope to gain from this course? Due Sunday by 11:59 PM

 

Week 1 Discussion Question:

  • Based on your readings, describe one barrier that a public health leader/ manager may encounter and provide two potential solutions for being effective despite that barrier? Due Sunday  by 11:59 PM
  • Respond to at least one colleague. By Wednesday, end of Week 1, by 11:59 PM

 

General Guidelines for discussion questions:

Use the information that you have learned this week, combined with your own knowledge and compose your answer- between 100 and 200 words. These questions do not have right or wrong answers, but are here to encourage dialogue among classmates and to hear views other than the instructor’s. This class has a wealth of expertise and you are encouraged you to share valuable resources openly with each other.

 

Written Assignment #1:  

  • Build on course material with other resources to identify a current presidential candidate’s leadership style. Discuss if their leadership style will help or hinder them if they become

OR

  • Build on course material with other resources to identify a historic figure’s leadership Discuss how their leadership style helped them overcome adversity.

Due Wednesday, end of Week 1, by 11:59 PM ET

 

Week 2: July 6 – 13

Public Health Structure: Public Health Administration and Practice Frameworks

Student Learning Objectives:

  • Gain perspective from an overall framework for public health
  • Better understand key developments in forming this framework
  • Know about major influences currently shaping public health
  • Realize the importance of a community perspective in public health
  • Know the core functions and essential services of public health
  • Recognize new trends in oversight of public health programs

Lecture:

Public Health Administration, Structure, and Practice

Readings:

  • Novick and Morrow, Chapter 4: Public Health Administration and Practice Framework, By Cynthia B. Morrow and James A. Johnson
  • Novick and Morrow, Chapter 5: Organization of the Public Health System By Glen Mays, Alene Kennedy Hendricks

Video Assignment: 

For full report see www.who.int/alliance-hpsr/en

Week 2 Discussion Question:

  • For you initial post identify an organizational challenge public health administrator face when working with the public? By Sunday at 11:59 PM.
  • For the response: each organizational challenge that is posted will receive potential solutions from at least one peer. By Wednesday at 11:59

Written Assignment:

Why isn’t the system’s thinking approach to health more successful within the United States? By Wednesday at 11:59 PM

 

Week 3: July 13 – 20

The Organization of Governmental Public Health

Student Learning Objectives:

  • Distinguish the major roles of federal, state, and local governmental entities, as well as non-governmental organizations, in creating and implementing public health policies and programs
  • Identify the responsibilities of the major federal agencies composing the public health infrastructure

Lecture:

Government’s Role in Assuring the Health of the Public

Readings:

  • IOM, 2002, Chapter 3
  • Baker EL. The Public Health Infrastructure and Our Nation’s Health. Annual Review of Public Health. 2005; 26: 303-318. Available online through the UNE library: http:// une.edu/library/eresources/ftjournals.cfm.

Library Assignment:

  • Find one article in a peer-reviewed journal (using the UNE library’s database of full text journals) that discusses the topic you are planning on reviewing in your final Using AMA citation, as well as noting the UNE library link to the article, share your summary and review of the article. Limit your report to one page with bulleted highlights and a short paragraph summarizing the relevance of the article to our discussion. By Wednesday at 11:59 PM.

 

Week 3 Discussion Question:    

  • Think of public health in daily life. To what degree is government involved in this? Is it appropriate or an overreach? By Sunday at 11:59 PM
  • Respond to at least one colleague. By Wednesday at 11:59 PM

 

Week 4: July 2o – 27

Community-Based Public Health Organizations

Student Learning Objectives:

  • To describe the functions and structures of community-based, non-governmental public health
  • To explain the definition and framework of community and participatory public health.
  • To analyze the current issues of community-based public health organizations in the US.
  • To describe the initiatives of community-based, non-governmental public health entities.

Lecture:

Communities, Organizations and Citizens Action in Public Health

Readings:

  • IOM Chapter 4, and Appendix
  • MacQueen KM, McLellan E, Metzger DS, et al. What Is Community? An Evidence- Based Definition for Participatory Public American Journal of Public Health. 2001; 91(12): 1929-1938. Available online through the UNE library: http://www.une.edu/library/eresources/ftjournals.cfm.

Library Assignment:

  • Find one article in a peer-reviewed journal (using the UNE library’s database of full text journals) that discusses the topic you are planning on reviewing in your final Using AMA citation, as well as noting the UNE library link to the article, share your summary and review of the article. Limit your report to one page with bulleted highlights and a short paragraph summarizing the relevance of the article to our discussion. By Wednesday at 11:59 PM

Week 4 Discussion Question:

  • Identify a public health activity implemented at the community level and discuss how community members are engaged, and how that impacts the success of the work. By Sunday at 11:59
  • Respond to at least one colleague. By Wednesday at 11:59

 

Week 5: July 27 – August 3

Strategic planning- a key part of administration?

Student Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the planning process and how decision making and resource allocation are related to leading and managing a strategic planning process in a public health organization.
  • Differentiate the levels or components of the planning process and distinguish each level or component from the other within the hierarchy of a public health organization.
  • Plan and design a strategy and a strategic planning process for a public health organization based on a program or area of
  • Compare and contrast different strategic plans from health related organizations noting the quality of the planning process, the ability to implement the plan and the ability to conduct progress
  • Describe how organizational management of process sets forms the community and constituency engagement
  • Discuss four strategies and the potential uses when undertaking community and constituency engagement
  • Explain the roles of community and constituency engagement in population- based health
  • Discuss opportunities to apply community and constituency engagement in emerging health system reform

 

Lectures:

Readings:  

  • Chapter 16: Strategic Planning in Public Health, By James Stephens and Gerald
  1. Ledlow
  • Chapter 18: Engaging Communities and Building Constituencies for Public Health, By Michael Hatcher and Ray M. Nicola
  • Scan the Healthy People 2020 Website: http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/ aspx

Week 5 Discussion Question:    

  • Following your scan of the Healthy People 2020 website, identify 2-3 ways that the “Objectives for the Nation” can be used for public health strategic planning. By Sunday at 11:59 PM
  • Respond to at least one colleague. By Wednesday at 11:59

Written Assignment (Proposal):

  • Develop a proposal for a topic you would like to explore in more The proposal must include a statement of the issue, question, or topic you will explore; a literature review on the topic with at least five sources all of which must be recent within the past five years; and reference sources using the AMA citation format. (20 points) By Wednesday at 11:59 PM.

 

Week 6: August 3 – 10

Performance Management in Public Health: Public Health Quality Improvement and Current Issues in Accreditation

Student Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the challenges faced by public health practitioners related to performance at the many different levels of the public health system
  • Appreciate the historical trends that resulted in the development of public health standards and measures
  • Explain the meaning and use of performance measures and standards
  • Develop an understanding of the Ten Essential Public Health Services as a foundation for the National Public Health Performance Standards (NPHPS), the Operational Definition of a Functional Local Health Department, and the new Public Health Accreditation Board accreditation program standards
  • Understand the integration of national public health performance standards into the community assessment process, and why it improves public health infrastructure and
  • Discuss the development of the nascent Public Health Accreditation Board accreditation program and how it may improve public health

Lecture:

The Value of Quality Improvement and Accreditation

 

Readings:

  • Novick and Morrow, Chapter 17
  • Riley, William ; Moran, John W.; Corso, Liza C.; Beitsch, Leslie M.; Bialek, Ronald; Cofsky, Abbey Less , Defining Quality Improvement in Public Health, Journal of Public Health Management & Practice. 16(1):5-7, January/February 2010. Available online through the UNE library: http://www.une.edu/library/eresources/ftjournals.cfm.
  • Davis, Mary Commentary: Opportunities to Advance Quality Improvement in Public Health. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice: January/February 2010, Volume 16 – Issue 1. p 8–10. Available online through the UNE library: http:// www.une.edu/library/eresources/ftjournals.cfm.

 

Video Assignment: 

 

Library Assignment:

  • Find one article in a peer-reviewed journal (using the UNE library’s database of full text journals) that discusses the topic you are planning on reviewing in your final Using AMA citation, as well as noting the UNE library link to the article, share your summary and review of the article. Limit your report to one page with bulleted highlights and a short paragraph summarizing the relevance of the article to our discussion. By Wednesday at 11:59 PM

 

Week 6 Discussion Question:

  • Discuss some key approaches to quality improvement in public health. Which sound practical and feasible to you? By Sunday at 11:59
  • Respond to tat least one colleague. By Wednesday at 11:59

 

Week 7: August 10 – 17

The Public Health Workforce and Financing Public Health

Student Learning Objectives:

  • Describe how public health programs are
  • Compare the allocation of health resources to medical care and public
  • Explain the role of federal federalism in funding public
  • Discuss variations in public health
  • Identify which public health financial management skills are most
  • Outline the characteristics of the public health
  • Explain the framework of the Core Competencies for Public Health
  • List the major historical and health system factors that influence the demand for public health
  • List the present demographic, political, and economic conditions that are influencing the employment of public health

Lecture:

Public Health Workforce and Financing Public Health

Readings:

  • Novick & Morrow, Chapter 10: Public Health Workforce, By Gerald Barron, Linda Duchak, Margaret A. Potter.
  • Novick & Morrow, Chapter 9: Public Health Finance, By Peggy Honoré and Louis
  • Free Download: National Academies Press, Institute of Medicine: Who Will Keep the Public Healthy? Educating Public Health Professionals for the 21st Century, http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10542, Read Chapter 6: Public Health Agencies: Their Roles in Educating Public Health Professionals.

 

Written Assignment:

  • Written Assignment (Final Paper):

Final paper is due- a follow-up on the proposal. Include the following: statement of the problem or issue; review of the literature including a discussion of at least five authors indicating their position/view on the topic; your position; and the rationale for your position. Typed, Times Roman, Size 12 font, Double-spaced; Five page minimum; 7 page maximum. By Sunday at 11:59 PM.

 

Week 7 Discussion Question:

  • Identify a current issue in public health workforce development or public health Identify an approach that may be suited to address it. By Sunday at 11:59 PM.
  • Respond to at least one colleague. By Wednesday at 11:59

 

Week 8: August 17 – 21 (SUNDAY)

Harnessing the change process is critical in your organization: Are you ready for the next century in public health? What is in store for public health leaders?

 

Student Learning Objectives:

  • To describe the impact of the changing environment on public
  • To describe the cultural context for public health including diversity, population shifts and cultural
  • To identify emerging and future issues in public

 

Lecture:

Organizational Change, Cultural Competency, and Diversity; Emerging Issues; The Future of Public Health; Vision, Values, and Risks

 

Readings:

  • Knight, Erin K., Shifting Public Health Practice to Advance Health Equity: Recommendations From Experts and Community Leaders, Journal of Public Health Management & 20(2):188-196, March/April 2014. Available online through the UNE library: http://www.une.edu/library/eresources/ftjournals.cfm.
  • Jarris, Paul ; Mishra, Meenoo, Making Health Equity a Core Part of All Public Health Work. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice. 19(3):278-280,
  • May/June 2013. Available online through the UNE library: http://www.une.edu/ library/eresources/ftjournals.cfm.

 

Video Assignment:

Inspired by the 2012 American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently talked with a range of national thought leaders to discuss what’s needed—and what works—to achieve better health. Watch video interviews with Adewale Troutman, MD, MPH, CPH, President-elect of the APHA. Troutman spoke about how looking back on his own personal story—how far he’s come to get where he is today—makes him hopeful for the future. He also discussed how working with non-traditional partners can help public health departments address social determinants of health such as housing, education, urban blight, and crime. This leads to fairer, healthier communities.

 

Week 8 Discussion Question:

  • Select a concept from one of the videos that resonates with you and explain How would you see yourself applying this in a public health organization? By Friday at 11:59 PM.
  • Respond to at least one colleague. By Sunday at 11:59 PM

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Public Health page

UNE Libraries:

UNE Student Academic Success Center

UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. The SASC also offers tutoring for GPH 712 Epidemiology, GPH 716 Biostatistics, GPH 717 Applied Epidemiology, GPH 718 Biostatistics II, and GPH 719 Research Methods. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:

Information Technology Services (ITS)

  • ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Policies

AMA Writing Style Statement

The American Medical Association Manual (AMA) of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course. Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.

Online resources: AMA Style Guide

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.

You can learn more about Turnitin in the Turnitin Student quick start guide.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements

Course Evaluation Policy

Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.

Late Policy

Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace.

Quizzes and Tests: Quizzes and tests must be completed by the due date. They will not be accepted after the due date.

Assignments: Unless otherwise specified, assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit https://www.une.edu/studentlife/plagiarism.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations.  Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final.  Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.

Attendance Policy

Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.

Late Policy

Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Online Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations.  Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final.  Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.