Curr Iss Zoom: Healthcare Today

Challenges and Opportunities in 21st Century Healthcare
Two Zoom Sessions
Thur., Mar. 6, 13, 2025, 6:30-8:30 pm MT

Today's U.S. healthcare system is a complex mix of public programs, private insurance and out-of-pocket care. The result? High costs and big differences in access and quality. And globally, healthcare systems vary widely, with many countries struggling to balance universal coverage and affordability amid growing pressures from aging populations and economic constraints. In this class, DU professor Jack Buffington offers an in-depth exploration of healthcare systems. He begins with a comprehensive definition of healthcare that includes clinical, financial/administrative and supply chain/operational functions that must work in an integrated fashion. He then provides a brief history of healthcare here and abroad, and the differences across healthcare systems worldwide. Buffington then explores how unique (good and bad) the U.S. healthcare system is compared to comparable nations, ranking last (20th) amongst the most developed economies. “It’s a world-class system for some, yet insufficient and unaffordable for a significant proportion of the American public.” Buffington argues that the future of healthcare in the U.S. could either be a complete breakdown of the funding and hospital systems, or a new era driven by technology where America leads the world. The course concludes with predictions about the future of global healthcare, including potential innovations, challenges and policy shifts to meet the demands of a changing world.

Jack Buffington is a professor for and the director of the Supply Chain Management program and the Denver Transportation Institute at the University of Denver. He has also served as a consultant for Colorado-based hospital systems, and started a partnership to improve healthcare in China.