Health Systems Science
Health Systems Science (HSS) can be defined as “the principles, methods, and practice of healthcare delivery.” HSS domains include policy and economics, informatics, population health, value-base care, quality improvement, inter-professional care, evidence-based practice, professionalism, and systems thinking.
In early 2019, UMass Chan Medical School started an effort to develop a “three-science” undergraduate medical education curriculum, with health systems science joining the traditional basic science and clinical science focus areas. HSS-related curricular elements are already part of the UMass Chan, opportunities exist to improve and supplement this material for our medical students.
For AY 19-20 course leaders are expected to review their didactic, case-based, and clinical curricula looking for opportunities to “strengthen, amplify, and connect,” existing HSS content.
Course directors are asked to include the HSS icon (click on link to download) on related electronic, hard-copy, or other course materials to help students identify relevant HSS content.
The icon helps students recognize that what they are learning maps to an HSS domain and will remind faculty of the role of this material within the larger curriculum.
Contact Mitchell Gitkind MD, Assistant Dean of Health Systems Science, with questions or comments.
Skochelak et al. Health systems science. Elsevier, 2017.
Gonzalo JD, et al. Aligning education with health care transformation, Acad Med. 2018: Feb;93(2): 256-264.