Introduction to Health Policy, Second Edition

Healthcare needs in the United States are challenging and continuously evolving. As a result, healthcare is a constant priority for leaders at the federal, state, and local levels. Healthcare leaders who have a strong understanding of the basics of health policy are optimally positioned to improve health and healthcare in both their organizations and their communities.

Introduction to Health Policy uniquely integrates an introductory overview of health policymaking with an examination of critical policy-related issues, research and evaluation methods, and international perspectives. Author Leiyu Shi, a prominent expert in the field, provides a basic introduction to key terms and the determinants of health and policy. He then explores the varied world of policymaking, ranging from multiple government levels, to the private sector, to the international stage. Policy-based attempts to address determinants of health—social, behavioral, and medical—are then explored. The book concludes by examining policy research and analysis.

Dr. Shi addresses various types of healthcare provisions, including public health, managed care, ambulatory care, extended care, and acute care in a hospital setting. Discussion questions and real-world cases and examples bring theories and concepts to life. This second edition features:

• New and updated case studies in each chapter
• New references and updated data
• Diversified international coverage, with policymaking examples from Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia, and China
• Current information on health policy research
• The latest developments in healthcare reform
• New content on the impact of the Affordable Care Act, patient-centered medical homes, accountable care organizations, precision medicine and big data, and more

This introductory book breaks down the complexity of health policy for future healthcare leaders who need a better understanding of how policy affects organizations and communities and how they themselves can influence health policymaking.

About the Author

Leiyu Shi, DrPH, is professor of health policy and health services research in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. He is also director of the Johns Hopkins Primary Care Policy Center and serves as co-editor-in-chief of the International Journal for Equity in Health. He received his doctoral degree from the University of California, Berkeley, with a concentration in health policy and services research. He also has a master’s in business administration, with a focus on finance and health economics. Dr. Shi is the author of ten textbooks and more than 200 scientific journal articles. He was named by Thomson Reuters as one of the top-cited and most influential scientists in the world in the past decade in the area of general social science.