Accounting and financial management in health care

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Sammy Fung

Pre-requisite:

No

This course is designed to introduce students to financial accounting, management control and financial management concepts in the healthcare industry. Topics include (1) understanding of financial statements, management of working capital, and financial statement analysis, (2) cost behavior and analysis, cost allocation, activity-based costing, departmental cost allocation, budgeting, responsibility accounting, and variance analysis, (3) time value of money, financing, cost of capital, and capital budgeting. This course uses a number of cases to demonstrate the applications of concepts in healthcare environment.

The course will be taught via lectures and case-based approach, which requires student’s commitment to read and prepare ahead of each lecture, and to participate in the discussion during the lecture.

Advanced clinical epidemiology and decision analysis

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr IOL Wong

Pre-requisite:

(i) CMED6200 Introduction to epidemiology, (ii) CMED6100 Introduction to biostatistics

This is an intermediate/advanced-level course on methods of clinical epidemiology and decision science. It covers the techniques and growing range of applications of decision analysis and cost effectiveness analysis in healthcare technology assessment, health policy analysis, medical decision making, and health resource allocation. Students will learn to apply methods that are currently used at the frontiers of clinical epidemiology and decision science research in clinical and public health settings. While the primary emphasis is not mathematical theory, a certain amount of theoretical background is presented for each topic.

Advanced epidemiological methods I

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Ryan Au Yeung

Pre-requisite:

(i) CMED6200 Introduction to epidemiology and (ii) CMED6300 Intermediate Epidemiology

The overarching conceptual framework for this course centres on the use of structural causal models to design, analyze and interpret study design commonly used in epidemiology, including observational, instrumental variable, quasi-experimental and experimental study designs. This course will consider how structural causal models, mediation analysis, effect modification, , sensitivity analysis and consideration of missing data, can be applied to the pursuit of making valid and transportable causal inferences in epidemiology.

Advanced epidemiological methods II

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof Eric Tchetgen Tchetgen

Pre-requisite:

(i) CMED6200 Introduction to epidemiology and (ii) CMED6030 Advanced epidemiological methods I

This course will provide an in depth investigation of statistical methods for drawing causal inferences from observational studies. Informal epidemiologic concepts such as confounding, comparability, intermediate variables, total effects, controlled direct effects, natural direct and indirect effects for mediation analysis, and selection bias will be formally defined within the context of a counterfactual causal model. Methods for estimating a total causal effect in the context of a point exposure will be discussed, including regression methods, propensity score techniques and instrumental variable techniques for continuous, discrete or binary outcome. Mediation analysis will be discussed from a counterfactual perspective, which methods for making inferences about the joint effects of time-varying exposures in the presence of time dependent covariates that are simultaneously confounders and intermediate variables will be emphasised. These methods include g-estimation of structural nested models, inverse probability weighted estimators of marginal structural models, and g-computation algorithm estimators.

Advanced immunology

3 credits

Coordinator:

Pre-requisite:

A Bachelor of Science degree in biology or immunology or equivalent. Prior approval of the HKU-Pasteur Research Pole.

Each year, this course will focus on a different topic, including innate immunity, inflammation, mucosal immunity, vaccination, and or adaptive immunity.  Special emphasis is placed on diseases that represent a threat to public health in this region. Lectures are given by internationally renowned scientists, workshops/round tables are supervised by junior faculty members, and practical sessions organized together with local and/or invited faculty members.

Advanced statistical methods I

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr EHY Lau

Pre-requisite:

CMED6100 Introduction to biostatistics

This course covers generalized linear models, meta-analysis, and instrumental variable analysis. This course will provide a practical overview of commonly used biostatistical methods, building on the basic methods introduced in CMED6100.

Advanced statistical methods II

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr EHY Lau

Pre-requisite:

CMED6100 Introduction to biostatistics; CMED6020 Advanced statistical methods I

This course will provide a basic, yet thorough introduction to probability theory and mathematical statistics that underlie many of the commonly used techniques in public health research. The frequentist and Bayesian approaches to parameter estimation, interval estimation and hypothesis testing will be compared and contrasted. All theoretical material will be motivated by problems from epidemiology and public health.

Advanced virology (Not offered in 2017/18)

3 credits

Coordinator:

Pre-requisite:

A Bachelor of Science degree in biology or immunology or equivalent. Prior approval of the HKU-Pasteur Research Pole.

Each year the course focuses on a different set of viruses/diseases that are relevant for public health in Asia and worldwide. Topics include: epidemiology, molecular and cellular biology of viruses; virus/host molecular interactions; pathogenetic mechanisms, prevention strategies against viral diseases and therapeutical approaches. Lectures are given by internationally renowned scientists, workshops/round tables are supervised by junior faculty members, and practical sessions organized together with local and/or invited faculty members.

Biological basis of disease

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof R Bruzzone

Pre-requisite:

No

This course analyses the basic features of cellular functioning at different levels and provides an overview of the recent technological advances that are impacting the healthcare and public reaction to scientific discoveries. Students will learn to assess the importance of acquiring a general understanding of the molecular basis of diseases that represent a major burden for society and the public health system, as a basis for evidence-based responses. Examples will be drawn for non-communicable and communicable diseases.

Capstone

15 credits

Coordinator:

Pre-requisite:

No

The Capstone will demonstrate the acquisition and synthesis of skills and competencies acquired in the curriculum. Each candidate will undertake a Capstone project on a topic approved by the Capstone Advisor and submit a Capstone report.

Comparing systems of elder care

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof SH Kagan

Pre-requisite:

No

The major aim of this course is to provide a comparative view of aging, public health, and allopathic, traditional and complementary treatment in Hong Kong and the United States within the perspectives of nursing, medicine, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Classroom experiences are designed – both in the U.S. and in H.K. – to build knowledge of how the U.S. and H.K. compare in demographics and aging; health and illness; and health and social care.

Emergency medicine for disaster and humanitarian crises responders

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Rex Lam

Pre-requisite:

No

The human suffering and destruction following a disaster or humanitarian crisis impose a significant demand for emergency healthcare resources. These catastrophes, which occur with intimidating frequency, present to the responders a wide range of problems. This course addresses these problems from the perspective of Emergency Medicine. It will specifically cover the clinical challenges associated with disasters or humanitarian crises and their management, the principles of disaster response and the related ethical and legal issues.

Emerging infectious diseases and "one health"

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof. JSM Peiris/ Dr H Yen

Pre-requisite:

No

Emerging infectious diseases continue to pose major threats to global public health, SARS, MERS, pandemic influenza, Ebola and Zika being recent examples. Many of these emerge through inter-species transmission from animals. The factors that contribute to emergence of such diseases and of other zoonotic diseases include environmental, ecological, societal, microbial and host factors. A “One Health” approach that envisions an integrated approach to enhancing the health of humans, animals and the environment is a paradigm relevant to responding emerging infections. This interactive course is designed for postgraduate students who are interested in understanding the factors that contribute to infectious disease emergence, their prevention, and control.

Environmental health hazards and interventions

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Linwei Tian

Pre-requisite:

No

This is a foundation course in environmental health which addresses how the environmental factors may adversely affect human health and what can done to prevent or minimize the negative impact of environmental health hazards. Whereas environmental science tends to address how human beings affect the environment, this public health oriented course focuses on how the environment may adversely affect human health. Topics include: exposure and dose; hazard and risk; natural and anthropogenic factors; physical, chemical and biological hazards in the air, water, soil and food; local and global environmental health issues.

Measuring the spatial built environment for public health

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Chinmoy Sarkar

Pre-requisite:

No

Built environment, the communities they support and human health are intrinsically interlinked. This course will introduce the science and practice of Healthy Cities through a holistic overview of the linkages between urban built environment and public health and introduce objective GIS-based methodologies to spatially measure the built environment to study their impacts on health.

Epidemic and endemic diseases

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Wu Peng/ Prof BJ Cowling

Pre-requisite:

No

Infectious diseases have been an important public health issue since the beginning of human history. With frequently observed emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases, it is essential to examine previous major disease outbreaks/epidemics and interventions in preventing transmission of these diseases in order to inform public health decisions in disease control in the future. In this course students will examine major epidemic and endemic human infectious diseases and dissect infectious diseases from historical and contemporary perspectives using an integrated approach to improve their ability to apply public health approaches to prevent and control infectious diseases and formulate appropriate strategies in response to disease epidemics/pandemics in society.

Field epidemiology

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr YH Tam

Pre-requisite:

No

The course introduces the theory of disease surveillance and includes a review of the relevant epidemiological and bio-statistical skills needed for field investigation. The operational aspects of field investigations including study and questionnaire design, sampling and data collection, data analysis and interpretation, formulation of recommendations, and risk communication. Field investigations in some special settings will also be considered.

Health and society

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof Ichiro Kawachi

Pre-requisite:

No

This course provides an overview of the field of social determinants of health, and will focus on the theories, measurement tools, and analytical methods for investigating the causal influence of social contexts and social variables on population health.

By the end of the course, students will be familiar with basic concepts in the field, including the prevention paradox and the two strategies to prevention; the measurement of socio-economic (SES) status and the mechanism of its association with health outcomes; absolute vs. relative concepts of poverty; compositional vs. contextual influences of neighborhood environments on health; the measurement of social networks, social support, and social capital, and how each concept is related to health; the demand/control model of job stress; and policies to tackle social inequalities in health.

Health behaviour and communication

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr W Lam/ Dr J Liao

Pre-requisite:

No

This course provides a comprehensive review of the social and behavioural science theories commonly used in public health. The utility of these theories in planning, implementing, and evaluating public health interventions and programs will be critically examined. The theories addressed in this course are not limited to the individual-level, but also that take a broader perspective and examine the role of health communication in influencing health behaviours.

Health economics

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Jianchao Quan

Pre-requisite:

No

This course introduces the field of health economics from first principles. It covers the key economic concepts including supply and demand, markets and market failures, health care financing, and economic evaluation. The course seeks to train students in the uses and limitations of economic analysis in health and health care.

Health informatics

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr James HB Kong

Pre-requisite:

Co-requisite: CMED6901 Health leadership and management

This is an introductory course to Health Informatics with a broad ranging survey of healthcare information systems, the industry, its history, recent developments and continuing challenges. The course will provide students with a practical understanding of healthcare information systems, acquisition and implementation. Topics will include electronic medical records (EMR), computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and health information exchange (HIE).

Health leadership and management

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr J Johnston

Pre-requisite:

No

To achieve greater efficiency and responsiveness, local, regional or international goals, and ultimately improve health outcomes requires strong and effective health care systems leaders and managers. This introductory course addresses the core competencies for leadership and management. From a systems level perspective, the course considers how concepts such as systems thinking and complexity science influence outcomes, how resources are used to achieve system goals, and the importance of mediation, negotiation and leadership to getting where the organisation wants to go.

Health policy and politics

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof GM Leung

Pre-requisite:

No

This course begins by introducing the core macroeconomic and political theories needed to understand and assess national or regional health systems. Based on these theoretical considerations and empirical observations from the field, students are led through a survey of system typologies from around the world. The concept of "control knobs" is then deployed to translate theoretical appreciation into real world application. Finally students are given the opportunity to undertake a self-directed simulation exercise on a prevailing policy topic in the Hong Kong or mainland Chinese setting.

Human health: futures in a globalized world

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof R Fielding

Pre-requisite:

No

This “big picture” course has as its focus the implications of environmental degradation and global warming for the next 25 years. Globalization, economics, resource depletion, food and agricultural issues, population change and societal reactions, and climatological impacts from current patterns of human population behaviour within an ecological systems-based perspective to infer likely futures and their health implications are explored. In particular, students examine current trends and models to attempt to estimate emerging public health issues and hazards linked to these.

Infectious disease epidemiology

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr J Wu

Pre-requisite:

CMED6100 Introduction to biostatistics; (ii) Basic programming skills in R including the use of loops and functions.

This course covers the fundamental concepts of infectious disease epidemiology and current methods for infectious disease surveillance and control. Topics include epidemiologic triangle, transmissibility and severity of infectious diseases, outbreak investigations and responses, infectious disease surveillance, vaccination, molecular epidemiology, and epidemic modelling. Exemplary cases with focus on recent emerging infectious diseases (e.g., SARS, pandemic influenza A/H1N1, avian influenza A/H5N1, MERS) will be used to facilitate students’ learning.

Infectious disease modelling

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr J Wu

Pre-requisite:

(i) CMED6211 Infectious disease epidemiology and (ii) Basic programming skills in R

This course is an introduction to the use of mathematical models for studying infectious disease dynamics and control. The course is designed for students who have a strong background in infectious disease epidemiology and want to understand and interpret results from infectious disease modeling. Topics include basic epidemic theory, estimation of transmissibility and disease severity, stochasticity, assessment of uncertainty, cost and effectiveness evaluation of interventions, and optimization of control strategies under resource constraints.

Infectious diseases in public health

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof LLM Poon

Pre-requisite:

No

Infectious diseases are of major public health concern. This course focuses on the study of common human infectious diseases from a public health point of view. The course covers basic microbiology, common infectious diseases in community and health care settings, and provides the biological basis for the methods used for prevention and control of communicable diseases. This course has a strong emphasis on the practical aspects of infectious disease and is important to those who are working or pursue their career in the fields of epidemiological investigations, public health surveillance, and other public health responses that are related to microbial infections.

Infectious Outbreaks and Disasters

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr LP Leung

Pre-requisite:

No

Human history has been intertwined with infectious outbreaks. From the outbreak of plague in the early 20th century in Manchuria to the most recent outbreak of Zika virus disease in South America, infectious outbreaks have claimed millions of lives and posed a major problem to the global healthcare system. Infectious outbreaks are closely related to disasters. By definition, infectious disease disasters are events that involve a biological agent or disease and cause mass casualties. They require a different management approach from other types of disasters in terms of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. This course is designed to provide students an overview of infectious outbreaks and disasters so that they can appraise the relationship between the two and critically analyze and propose strategic interventions in response to an infectious disease disaster from the public health perspective.

Intermediate epidemiology

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr M Schooling

Pre-requisite:

CMED6200 Introduction to epidemiology

This course builds on the introductory course in epidemiology (CMED6200). Causal inference is undoubtedly one of the most important epidemiological concepts in current epidemiological and population health research.  Epidemiological research which focuses on ‘risk factor’ analysis though important does not always lead public health practitioners and scientists to identify modifiable factors relevant for changing health outcomes. The application of causal inference thinking in epidemiological study design and the use of more advanced data analysis helps ameliorate this problem.

Introduction to biostatistics

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof BJ Cowling

Pre-requisite:

No

Biostatistics concerns the collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of biological data. Specific applications include epidemiology, clinical trials and public health. This course covers descriptive statistics and elementary probability, and introduces basic topics in inferential biostatistics, including regression, confidence intervals and hypothesis tests. The course provides students with introductory skills in biostatistics to complete their capstone reports; therefore its primary focus is on the practical use and interpretation of statistical methods.

Introduction to epidemiology

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof BJ Cowling

Pre-requisite:

No

This course introduces the basic concepts and approaches used in epidemiologic research, and serves as a prerequisite for several other courses. The course begins with an introduction to common approaches to measure the occurrence and distribution of illness in populations and the relationship between different measures. The course then moves on to introduce the major types of epidemiological study designs. Students will learn to design, interpret and critically appraise each type of study, with the aim of differentiating between the study designs and appreciating their relative strengths and limitations in identifying the determinants and causes of illness and disease. The concept of causal inference will be introduced with focus on common pitfalls in epidemiological studies that could lead to biased estimation of the causal relationship. Finally practical issues in designing and implementing epidemiological studies will be discussed, and students will learn to use appropriate terminology and language to report epidemiological findings. Throughout the course, major historical and contemporary epidemiological studies will be described.

Measurement in health

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr M Ni/ Dr Felix Cheung

Pre-requisite:

No

The majority of public health and clinical research involves surveying patients or the public and measuring aspects of health status. This course provides students to an introduction to survey research methods, including sampling approaches, the design of questionnaires, selection of data collection modalities, and evaluation of psychometric properties of measurement scales.

The course will also cover reliability and validity analyses of an existing health measurement instrument, and the process of developing an instrument where a suitable one does not already exist are considered. The utility of a number of screening tools, clinician rating scales and self-report health indicators among others are critically evaluated. The course project will also provide an opportunity to design and develop your own survey questionnaire.

Molecular epidemiology: microbial genetics and evolution

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr H. Zhu & Dr T.Y. Lam

Pre-requisite:

No

The genomes of pathogenic microorganisms determine their infection and transmission in hosts. Emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases are usually associated with the evolution of these pathogens in response to the host defense and environmental challenges. This course introduces the genomic and evolutionary biology of pathogens causing human infections, and the implications to the public health policies for disease control and management, such as regarding to vaccine strain selection and drug administration. Modern research methods for studying pathogen genome and evolution to understand their transmission and epidemiology, are also introduced, with demonstration using real examples from recent epidemics.

Non-communicable disease epidemiology and control

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr M Kwok

Pre-requisite:

CMED6200 Introduction to epidemiology; CMED6201 Principles of public health

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease, are major causes of death and disability. This course builds on the fundamental courses Introduction to Epidemiology and Principles of Public Health by exploring the distribution, predictors and causes of major NCDs. Students will review the global burden, prevailing theories and controversies regarding the aetiology of major NCDs and formulate effective public health strategies for their prevention and control. This course focuses on the critical appraisal of epidemiological studies and the translation of research findings into practice, which will be relevant to students pursuing a career in epidemiology or public health practice.

Personalised public health

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Dennis Ip

Pre-requisite:

No

Genetics is the study of variation in the genome, its inheritance, and its contribution to health and disease. Public health genetics focuses on the public health implications of advances in genetic and molecular science for preventing disease and for protecting and improving the health of the population. The curriculum will be centred on an understanding how genetic and environmental factors work together in determining disease susceptibility in individuals and populations. The course addresses the implications of these developments for health services, and the ethical, legal, cultural, economic and policy issues involved in applying genomics to public health.

Perspectives in health care management

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr H Tinsley

Pre-requisite:

(i) CMED6901 Health leadership and management or (ii) Previous health care work experience

The case-based course provides students with an opportunity to explore real health administration problems in the public sector at both global and local levels. Students will apply administrative science to important and topical problems faced by current health care administrators such as quality and risk management, human resources management, leadership, decision-making, and governance and accountability. Students will formulate solutions to problems in health care administration.

Practicum

12 credits

Coordinator:

Pre-requisite:

No

The Practicum aims to prepare students with a broad mastery of subjects and methods necessary for the field of public health practice, bridging theory and practice. The practicum is a planned, supervised and evaluated and students are expected to demonstrate competency as per learning outcomes.

Principles of public health

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof GM Leung / Dr J Johnston / Dr J Leung

Pre-requisite:

No

This is the fundamental survey course for the MPH programme, encompassing the full spectrum of contemporary public health issues locally and globally.

Qualitative health research

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr W Lam

Pre-requisite:

No

This course will provide a comprehensive introduction to qualitative health research, with the aim to helping students to acquire a sound knowledge base of the qualitative research process and to develop an appreciation of the importance of qualitative research in health science. During the course, various qualitative methods will be introduced and discussed. Students will have the opportunity to engage in activities involved in data collection, analysis, as well as appraising qualitative research evidence.

Resources for health

3 credits

Coordinator:

Prof Karen Grépin

Pre-requisite:

CMED6900 Health policy and politics

This module analyses the origins and flow of financial resources through the entire health system, in a tri-axial fashion, in that what is consumed has been provided and financed. Therefore, money is traced from revenue sources to agents in financing schemes, to provision influenced by different factors of production (including operating cost structure and capital formation), to consumption by different beneficiaries resulting in observed utilisation patterns.

In parallel, students learn about the critical importance of non-financial resources, i.e. human resources, in the production of healthcare. The planning process for, production, deployment (including substitution), retention and continuous development of different types of healthcare professionals are illustrated. Special mention is also made of other possible resource constraints to optimal system functioning.

Finally, common indicators to evaluate health system performance, with particular emphases on financing and human resources, are used to assess various prototypic examples drawn from empirical experience locally and elsewhere.

Risk: perception, decisions and communication

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr J Liao/ Prof R Fielding

Pre-requisite:

No

Risk is inevitable in life, yet the ability to accurately judge risk and the decisions made thereafter are usually quite skewed by psychological, social and contextual factors, so much so that serious errors can occur in decision making. In healthcare, the ability to accurately assess risk and the psychological strategies that people adopt to avoid the threat that risk presents means that health hazards are often completely misrepresented both to ones self and to others. Health professionals also have the task of communicating health risk information to the community as well as individuals. How can information be presented in such a way as to effectively communicate the true nature of a hazard without distorting or falling into the trap of being ignored? This course looks in detail at the area of risk perceptions, the distortions of decisions by psychological and other factors and the communication of risk, all core skills for public health professionals.

Strategies in health care

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr Alexander Ng

Pre-requisite:

Previous health care work experience

This course aims to introduce different conceptual frameworks and methodologies required to develop sustainable strategies for organisations in health care – including but not limited to governmental organisations, NGOs, hospitals/clinics, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies.

The practice of public health

3 credits

Coordinator:

Dr D Ip/ Dr YH Tam

Pre-requisite:

No

This course aims to promote the application of public health sciences to a wide range of common problems and issues. Students will be given various scenarios simulating real-world public health problems which can be used to illustrate the wide range of disciplines applicable (from an evidence-based perspective) to the practice of public health. Students will practise the development of a systematic approach to define these problems, search for information to support their assessment, and propose and execute actions to deal with the problems.