Assignment task: Your instructor will assign a country for you at the start of the course. Read the profile of the selected country on the following website to learn more about the health system and how it influences population health:
The Commonwealth Fund (2021) website:
As you learn about the economic concepts, consider how the national health system influences the structure of a health organization and administrative decisions.
Read the following character descriptions:
Eduardo:
Eduardo is a married, 65-year-old male and lives in low-income housing in a large city. Eduardo has been overweight for many years. Recently, Eduardo has been finding it more and more difficult to work at his manual labour job because of excruciating pain in his right knee. He has missed several shifts and must work to earn money to support his day-to-day life. Eduardo's family doctor advises him that knee-replacement surgery is the only option because of severe degeneration.
Natasha
Natasha is a 30-year-old female who is 3 months pregnant with her first child. She manages a dry-cleaning business and is married to a real estate agent. They live on an acreage in a rural community. She is preparing for the birth of her baby, including prenatal and postpartum care. Natasha is considering how long she should stay home with her newborn before she has to return to work. They have some savings, but they're not comfortable relying on a single income in the long-term.
Compare and contrast the health system in Canada with the health system in your selected country. Propose how the following aspects will affect Eduardo and Natasha from the perspective of a health-care administrator:
- Accessibility
- Sustainability
- Role of the government
- Funding sources (i.e., public insurance, private insurance, direct pay)
- Quality of care
Give answers with in text citation academic references.