Individual Project (IP)
A Critical Evaluation of the National Healthcare System: United States of America.
Focusing on the level of the National Healthcare System of the United States of America, using relevant criteria, critically evaluate the basic design features of the national health system itself in terms of the following (sub-headings):
1. How it is funded,
2. How it is structured,
3. How it is planned,
4. How it allocates resources, etc.
NOTE: As regards the evaluative criteria themselves, the challenge is to seek out, justify, and apply what you see as the key indicators for assessing the extent to which the national healthcare system is effective in achieving its system goals. In overall terms, the challenge is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your chosen system.
The purpose of this Individual Project (IP) is to allow you to demonstrate your attainment of the learning outcomes (below) of the module, through the application of the concepts and techniques learnt. This IP should be 2,500-words.
For this Assignment:
• Strictly use Harvard format for all In-text citations and references.
• All sources must be scholarly and fully referenced (indicate the URL of sources where available).
• I request for plagiarism report.
• Use real life examples where applicable.

Learning outcomes of the module
By the end of the module, the student will be able to:
1. Define and critically appraise the key social/political/economic factors underpinning the design and functioning of health systems;
2. Critically appraise the nature and functioning of public and private-sector organizations within the context of international health system reform;
3. Critically reflect on and appraise the utility of management theory in the development and functioning of health systems and the delivery of health services;
4. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of and critically review the delivery of healthcare from needs assessment through to evaluation of outcomes;
5. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the application of management theories for their own health system, including the implications for public health.
• The instructions for this assignment must be strictly adhered to.

Required Resources
• Merson, M.H., Black, R.E., & Mills, A.J. (eds.) (2006) ‘Chapter 1: The design of health systems’. In: International public health: diseases, programs, systems and policies. University of Liverpool/Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, pp. 1–14.
• Hunter, D.J. (ed.). (2007) ‘Chapter 1: The policy context and growing importance of health’. In: Managing for health. Oxford: Routledge, pp. 8–27. Available from:
http://www.tandfebooks.com.ezproxy.liv.ac.uk/isbn/9780203014349 (Accessed: 21 March 2014).