The Healthcare Administration Program is designed to provide the educational background to enable graduates to pursue careers in healthcare management and administration. Healthcare administrators and managers plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They might manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians. Healthcare administrators and managers must direct changes that conform to changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology. Most healthcare administrators and managers work in offices in healthcare facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes, and group medical practices. Students in the healthcare administration program will study courses in healthcare management, marketing, human resources, healthcare finance, and medical law and ethics. This knowledge will make the healthcare administrator or manager a valuable member of the healthcare management team. Graduates are employed in career areas such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, physician offices, and a variety of other healthcare facilities. Upon successful completion of the degree in healthcare administration, the graduate will be able to:

• Work in and lead work teams.

• Direct, supervise, and evaluate work activities in healthcare facilities.

• Develop and implement organizational policies and procedures.

• Utilize basic finance principles in the health care delivery system.

Program Outcomes:

• Discuss the history, characteristics, frameworks, and models of U.S. health care systems.

• Explain the concepts of managed care and integrated systems.

• Assess barriers to behavioral and mental health care.

• Compare financing options and costs of health care systems.

• Explain the role of information technology on health care.

• Determine health care policy application and future health services delivery.

• Analyze the phases of the organizational life cycle of a health care organization.

• Explore leadership roles and responsibilities in a health care environment.

• Evaluate organizational planning and decision making in a health care organization.

• Describe the management functions within a health care environment and the factors that impact the span of management within these institutions.

• Outline the functions of human resources and organizational staffing in the health care organization.

• Explore the roles, responsibilities, and development of committees and teams.

• Examine the advantages of providing ongoing training and development activities for health care employees.

• Examine the budget planning and implementation process.