Reflecting on my journey with Health Systems Science three I have gained an appreciation for the complexity health systems and the various components that make up the health system. I have learned about numerous external factors that have to be taken into consideration when building a health systems that patient oriented and witnessed it through site visits. I have also developed many competencies and learned so much about myself. This reflection will delve into the key lessons and experiences that have shaped my understanding and approach to health systems sciences. Additionally, it will explore my experiences as a health systems sciences student.
HSS 3 began with introducing me to the reality of the burden of communicable diseases in South Africa, which I document in this blog article Understanding of the Quadruple Burden of Diseases in South African, its’ management and its’ relation to ongoing burdening of the Health Care System. The health system resources is are constantly burdened and strained by a high volume of people that seek healthcare due to the quadruple burden of diseases in South Africa. This showed me the important role that public health plays in ensuring that the health system can function. Due to its patient focused model the health system can only help communities to a certain extent. Targeting communities and improving population health to eradicate the quadruple burden of disease requires for policies and interventions to be planned from a public health perspective.
The second memorable section to me is learning about non-communicable diseases. HPV was the first non-communicable disease that we did. Learning about how interconnected HPV is to other more detrimental health outcomes and a communicable disease, showed me how important it is that health interventions are planned comprehensively. Learning about HPV showed me how sometimes that the inadequate health system can be a barrier to people reaching good health statuses.
My reply in a discussion forum asking: Why is vaccinating against HPV important.
My reply in a discussion forum asking: Comment on the relationship between HPV and HIV – why is screening important and how does it relate to the high number of HIV infected individuals in SA?
My reply in a discussion forum asking: Discuss the barriers to screening in SA.
Overall what I learned about non-communicable diseases is that it is linked poverty or low socioeconomic status. Many South Africans are of low socioeconomic status, this mean that many people access care through the public health system. The public heath system is already financially strained and the increase of non-communicable diseases would further cripple the financial capability of the healthcare system.
My favourite section was learning about mother and child health care. It was interesting to learn how poor management maternal, newborn and child health can lead to an increase in critical mothers, newborns and children who require expensive care. This is straining on health systems which do not have the necessary finances to run effectively.
My reply in a discussion forum asking: What is mother and child healthcare? Why is it important?
My reply in a discussion forum asking: Comment on why you think it is important to use Maternal Health as a country's health indicator.
Along with the work throughout the year I was part of multiple groups, four presentation groups, an organisational analysis group, and a research group. These group projects helped me to develop my communication, research, time management, and many more competencies but most importantly my leadership competency. Through these groups I was able to learn to adapt my leadership style according to each person. I never though that I could grow out of the style of leadership that I was so used to so I am extremely happy with this outcome.
Creating a portfolio of learning and continuous personal development portfolio helped me to understand the characteristics that are important in a health systems scientist. Through the work I have done and the reflections I have written I now have an in-depth understanding of what health systems sciences qualities help systems scientist have solutions to systematic issues and innovative ways of communications these problems. Examples of these are creative thinking, analytical thinking, presentation skills, business competencies, etc. They all come together to health system scientists create health systems that serve the patients and healthcare workers.
In Block three, there were site visits to understand healthcare system. I had the privilege of attending a clinical visit at Ebony clinic and the wits simulation lab. These visits showed me why health systems scientists that can see the bigger picture of the system but also pay attention to the details. When visiting Ebony clinic there was a group that had been there for a couple of weeks. The day we joined them they were presenting an idea to the family medicine doctor of the clinic solve a problem that they had noticed. The family medicine doctor was so happy because he had been looking for a solution for a while now. This showed me the usefulness of systems thinking and how necessary it is. Healthcare workers already overworked and burdened by the healthcare system but they also have the most insight into what is working and what is not. If health systems scientist are allowed to work closely with healthcare workers hey can be the bridge between the problems that healthcare workers notice and the solutions that can resolve these problems.
In conclusion, my journey through Health Systems Science III has been transformative. It has not only deepened my understanding of the complexities and challenges within health systems but also highlighted the critical role of public health in addressing these issues. The knowledge and skills I have gained, from understanding the burden of diseases to developing leadership competencies, have equipped me to contribute meaningfully to the field of health systems science. Moving forward, I am committed to applying these insights to create innovative solutions that improve health outcomes and support healthcare workers. This experience has solidified my passion for health systems science and my dedication to making a positive impact in the healthcare sector.
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