The many issues surrounding health care management from a systems viewpoint are reviewed, including: evolution of the hospital as a subsystem of the health care system, the complex internal and external relationships, integrated delivery systems, systems management theory and practices, productivity, quantitative techniques and health care applications, and future trends in the health care environment. Selected topics will be included to "round out" the course program. In the past, presentations have included mergers and acquisitions. The course will follow a lecture format with classroom participation. Text and current readings will supplement the lectures. A research paper or several short papers will be assigned during the course. The professor will draw on actual consulting experiences to show how the tools and techniques have been introduced and implemented in various health care environments so the student can get an "applied awareness" of practical applications. Guest lecturers will enhance the learning experience.
