Master's of Health Care Administration Program Outline

This non-credit orientation is a foundation-building experience that introduces and refreshes the skills necessary for success in your Master's Degree Program. You'll learn how to navigate ProQuest, Ashworth College's online library, and review the distinguishing characteristics of academic journals and other publications. Internet research skills are polished enabling you to identify credible and unbiased Web sites for your research. Emphasis is placed on submission requirements, project structures, and writing formats used throughout your coursework, and APA writing style. The final portion of this course provides you the opportunity to research and explore the various career fields in the world of Health Care Administration.

Learn how to take appropriate action to solve community health problems. Today's public health practitioner faces both challenges and exciting possibilities but limited resources. This course provides a practical introduction to the organization, administration and practice of public health. You'll also examine the role of public health services in addressing infectious disease control, environmental health, prevention effectiveness, bioterrorism and global health issues in the 21st century. And you'll consider health reform's focus on illness rather than disease prevention.

Convince people to purchase your services. A comprehensive introduction to current theories and practices of marketing, sales and promotion in the U.S. and worldwide. Key examples of the successful application of marketing principles are highlighted by examining the achievements of noted marketing experts. You'll discover how they used their expertise to manage brands, build customer relationships, develop consumer trust, enter and compete in new markets, develop effective public relations and more.

Link personnel activities to business strategies. Examine specific management challenges faced by actual firms and the role of human resources. Learn about recruitment, employment planning and forecasting, managing diversity, testing, interviewing, the training process, organizing teams, appraising performance, establishing strategic pay plans, financial incentives, benefits, labor relations, collective bargaining, employee security and more.

Develop your leadership potential. Discover the qualities, talents and vision that leaders need to survive and grow in a changing world. Examine the evolution and application of leadership and motivation theories. Stimulating case studies reveal how executives motivate others to succeed.

Apply some of the latest medical sociology findings to today's health system. Social factors play a critical role in determining the health of individuals and groups. Social conditions can promote illness and disability while also enhancing prospects for disease prevention. How this happens and what health care personnel can do to improve health delivery systems are the focus of this course. You'll explore epidemiology, social stress, healthy lifestyles, illness behavior, the physician in a changing society, the role of nurses and physician assistants, U.S. social policy and other pertinent issues.

Protect people and property. Health care security is expected to change dramatically in the next few years. This course covers security issues in-depth, including the security management plan, security officer training, equipment and electronics, maternity center issues, the emergency department, bomb threats, workplace violence, parking, medical records and more.

Utilize data as an asset. Explore the manager's role in utilizing data as an asset and setting procedures for safe data storage, maintenance, accessibility and security. This practical course also reveals the latest legislation affecting health data as well as best practices for data warehousing, web technologies and database management in health information practice.

Manage finances successfully. Explore health care's grounding financial principles of price, supply and demand, and the effect of demand for goods and services on labor. Case examples drawn from actual health care settings solidify problem-solving skills while imparting insight into budgeting, breakdown analysis, financial reporting, business plans, grant writing and economic issues.

Plan for changes in managed care. Managed care has had a profound impact on the health care delivery system today. Nurses can play an important role in managed care and help define its future as it relates to patient rights, quality of care, patient education and more. Explore case management, cost and performance strategies, reimbursement, collaborative care, legal compliance, the clinical pathway and finances.

Organize teams for achievement. Investigate the theory and practice of project management, culminating in the analysis of real-world examples taken from manufacturing, service, and construction businesses. Learn how to organize and manage effective project teamsâ?¦how to document and communicate project development within and outside the teamâ?¦and how to integrate people and technology successfully.

Create a strong value system based on sound medical ethics. Awaken your analytical powers and sharpen your critical thinking skills as you analyze both classic and contemporary case studies that demonstrate important facets of ethical perspectives in health care. Examine issues related to life, death and medical technology; abortion; assisted suicide; genetics; HIV; organ transplants; the patient/provider relationship; genetics; and more.

Plan for increased productivity. Study the intimate association between the government and the health sector and the politics of medical policy making within economic, social and historical perspectives. Essays and case studies examine health policies and legislation as they relate to public opinion, health care financing, access to health care, health reform, care for the elderly and other contemporary issues. The course concludes with a Capstone Project and Exam.