Introduction to Healthcare by Coursera

Understanding the workings of the U.S. healthcare system is essential to solving the challenges and problems it faces. Strategies and solutions that work must be able to take into consideration the reality of the current system.

This course explains the basics of the U.S. health care system. This course will explain the roles of the major institutions and players in the U.S. healthcare system, as well as the interplay between them. This course will include information about physician practices, hospitals and pharmaceuticals as well as insurance and financing arrangements. We will also be discussing the issues of healthcare cost management, access and quality, as well as how to make it affordable. The course will focus on the U.S. health system but we will also discuss healthcare systems in other countries. The Accreditation Council of Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), has granted accreditation to Stanford University School of Medicine. This allows it to provide continuing medical education for doctors. For important information about 1) Date of initial release and Termination/expiration dates; 2) Accreditation Statements and Credit Designation statements; and 3) Disclosures of financial relationships for all persons who are responsible for activity content.