HLTH 4011 Issues in Health Care

A briefing note is a concise representation of the facts regarding an issue. A briefing note should succinctly describe the issue, background information, key current considerations, options to address the issue, a variety of possible actions and one recommended actions.1 Could we please cite this using APA? In practice, briefing notes can inform decision-makers and therefore it is critical that the facts capture all the salient information for decision-making. Writing a briefing note can be challenging because you are condensing complex issues into a brief format, yet this is an important skill to develop.

Instructions

You are asked to develop a briefing note that includes the following six headings:

1. Identify the issue: One line. You may choose to put this in the form of a question to specify the focus (e.g., what approach should we take to...? What is the status of...?). The issue you choose should be a national, provincial/territorial or municipal health care issue from the past 1 – 2 years; you can use a current issue discussed in the lessons, notes or learning activities of this course, or choose a separate issue.

2. Background: What led to this issue? What are the key events in the history of this issue? Stakeholders should be considered to understand issue impact and potential action

3. Issue: Define and detail the current issue. Explain why you think this issue is of importance

4. Analysis: Identify, present and assess alternatives to address the problem. Relevant health care system factors, ethical and legal considerations should all be outlined, where appropriate

5. Recommendation: Recommend actions and one preferred alternative with rationale.

Academic quality, including references