Course unit details:
Enterprise in Healthcare
| Unit code | MCEL30122 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 10 |
| Unit level | Level 3 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
This unit is about the significance of being enterprising to improve our healthcare systems. Current drivers for change in healthcare arise from changes in patients’ expectations, equitable healthcare, efficient management of resources, public health policy and advances in science and technology. The unit will focus on developing an understanding of how innovation works in the health sector and draw on best practices globally. It will consider how enterprise skills and innovation can be applied to key aspects of healthcare such as diagnostics technology and preventative healthcare, patient engagement and outcomes, access to medicines and affordable healthcare, social innovation and community engagement and health policy. Up to date cases and lectures by guest speakers from industry and academia will form part of the delivery of the unit.
Pre/co-requisites
None
Aims
The course aims to equip students with enterprise and innovation skills and apply them to drive improvements in healthcare.
Syllabus
- Introducing enterprise and innovation skills and concepts (Design thinking, Lean thinking)
- Role of government in healthcare innovation (public health, regulation).
- Social Innovation in healthcare (nutrition, equity, access, affordability)
- New efficient healthcare models (frugal, hybrid)
- Adoption of new healthcare technologies. (data driven, devices, smart hospital)
Teaching and learning methods
The unit will be delivered as a series of lectures with case studies and in- class activities (workshop format) for students to work on both alone and in small informal groups.
Guest speakers, both from industry and academia, will provide expert perspectives on particular aspects of healthcare enterprise and innovation.
The lectures will be supported by Blackboard including lecture notes, case studies and resource web links.
Knowledge and understanding
A1: Demonstrate a knowledge of contemporary enterprise and innovation concepts and theories such as lean, design and frugal thinking.
A2: Describe the processes by which innovations are introduced and managed in organisations
A3: Identify the current drivers of enterprise and innovation in the healthcare sector, including policy, technology and patient needs.
Intellectual skills
B1: Demonstrate the skill of critical thinking
B2: Synthesise and analyse information
B3: Evaluate the potential impact of enterprising behaviours and innovations in the healthcare sector
Practical skills
C1: Identify, collect, analyse and evaluate data
C2: Demonstrate presentation and communication skills
C3: Construct a business report to communicate research and analysis to colleagues
Transferable skills and personal qualities
D1: Demonstrate an ability to deal with the uncertainties
D2: Demonstrate an ability to identify and solve problems
D3: Employ critical reflection skills
D4: Develop written and oral presentation skills such as elevator pitches and business reports
Employability skills
- Innovation/creativity
- Healthcare professionals also need commercial skills if they want to deliver a high-quality patient experience while still meeting government priorities and organisational goals. This unit will equip students with commercial skills that will help drive innovation and experimentation in delivering value added care.
- Problem solving
- The healthcare sector is undergoing considerable change. Today's healthcare professionals and organisations face economic pressure to reduce costs while improving care amidst a digital transformation that¿s changing how and when patients seek treatment. There¿s a constant pressure to find more efficient and effective ways to deliver healthcare, but improving quality enabled by technology and still holding the line on costs is challenging. Balancing those priorities requires more than just medical know-how or social skills.
- Other
- Social Responsibility The current ways in which new healthcare technologies and models are being financed, developed and brought to market render health care systems increasingly inequitable and unsustainable. The unit focuses on how technology can be used to provide future health services such that they positively affect the social factors that are determinants of health.
Assessment methods
All assessments are individual
- Formative: Opportunity proposal (poster + elevator pitch) (0%, Group)
- Summative: Structured report offering in-depth analysis of the opportunity and potential interventions/solutions (2500 words, 100% , Individual)
Feedback methods
Formative feedback is the feedback given to help you to develop and improve with the unit of study. Formative feedback is available to you through the following means
• Attending lectures, joining discussions about case studies and doing short work tasks set within the lecture session.
• Your lecturer will reply to brief individual questions at the end of each lecture session, if there are a few minutes to spare.
• Your lecturer will provide brief replies to your e-mailed enquiry.
• Your lecturer may feedback messages to the whole class via Blackboard if the point that you have raised could be of benefit to the whole class.
Summative work is any course assessment and exams that contribute to the final mark for the unit.
Summative feedback for assignments is on Blackboard. You may e-mail the lecturer to ask for further feedback and they might raise the point in the next lecture, reply to you or invite you to attend a brief one to one feedback meeting.
Recommended reading
Kearney, C., 2022. Leading Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare: A Global Perspective. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Nusem, E., Straker, K. and Wrigley, C., 2020. Design innovation for health and medicine. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.
Reis, E., 2011. The lean startup. New York: Crown Business, 27, pp.2016-2020.
Govindarajan, V. and Ramamurti, R., 2018. Reverse Innovation in Health Care: How to Make Value-Based Delivery Work. Harvard Business Press.
NESTA health resources: https://www.nesta.org.uk/health/
Social Innovation in health initiative: https://socialinnovationinhealth.org/
Innovations in Healthcare: https://www.innovationsinhealthcare.org/resources/
Topol, E., 2015. The patient will see you now: the future of medicine is in your hands. Basic Books
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 24 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 76 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Suneel Kunamaneni | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
FBMH ‘with Entrepreneurship’ degree programmes and as an open elective for other UG programmes.
For Academic Year 2024/25
Updated: March 2024
Approved by: March UG Committee