Health Services Administration

Code:

MEAC16_5

Acronym:

ASS

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Health Sciences

Instance: 2025/2026 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education
Course/CS Responsible:	Academic and Clinical Education

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MEAC	9	Current Studies Plan	1	-	3	21	81

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

"The curricular unit "Health Services Administration" seeks to foster the development of knowledge about some of the main health policies and systems in the national and international contexts. Thus, at the end of this unit, students should be able to

- Describe key concepts in the areas of health policies and systems, health management, particularly with regard to the multiplicity inherent in the concept of health;

- Identify essential tools for the rational use of resources allocated to the health sector

- Recognize the importance of the efficient management of resources while maintaining equity in access to the health system."

Learning outcomes and competences

Knowledge: It is intended that students get appropriate knowledge in the field of health and systems policies and in the health management area, especially with regard to the multiplicity inherent in the concept of health.

Skills: With the attendance of this curricular it is intended that the student applies in the daily setting and in the decision-making process the necessary tools for an efficient use of healthcare resources in accordance with the opportunity cost criteria. Moreover, it is intended that the medical education includes the basic principles of hospital management that are a determinant for good clinical practice.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1- The right to health protection as a social right in plural and secular societies.

2- Health and other social benefits: the need for setting priorities according to the rules of deliberative democracy.

3 - Health policies and epidemiological transition.

4- Intervention models in public health and health education. Importance of communication and pedagogical aspects.

5- Inter-sectorial public health and social determinants of health. Importance of the Economic and Social Gradient the citizens.

6- Financial-related and unrelated barriers to the equitable access to reasonable health care. The universality of healthcare access. 

7- Access to benefits and segmentation of the health systems. NHS and health sub-systems.

8- Efficiency and efficacy in health production. The role of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM). Quality in health as an ethical requirement.

9- Administrative effectiveness. The need for a new model of organisation of the health system based on the principle of separation.

Mandatory literature

Sharon Bell Buchbinder, Nancy H. Shanks; Introduction to Health Care Management , Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2007
Rui Nunes, Guilhermina Rego; Prioridades na Saúde, MCGraw-Hill, 2002
Guilhermina Rego; Gestão Empresarial dos Serviços Públicos, Uma Aplicação ao Setor da Saúde, Vida Económica, 2008
Rui Nunes; Regulação da Saúde, Vida Económica, 2014
Paul J. Feldstein; Health Policy Issues, An Economic Perspective, Sixth Edition, Health Administration Press, 2015
Rob Baggott; Public Health - Policy and Politics, 2nd Edition, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010

Teaching methods and learning activities

Teaching methodologies have different strategies:

a) Theoretical Lectures: about different themes related to the Curricular Unit;

b) Seminars: Prepared and guided discussion of specific themes, defined in advance;

c) Group Work: Pedagogical activity of analysis and problem solving, orientated by the professors.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	60,00
Frequência das aulas	21,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

Attendance: 75 %

Calculation formula of final grade

The assessment of the curricular unit is made by a Final Examination that evaluates the acquisition of theoretical and practical knowledge.

Classification improvement

dents wishing to improve their grade in the appeal period will have to take a final exam (100%).