Healthcare Management

Description

The Master of Science in Healthcare Management prepares its graduates for leadership positions in which they plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care, public health agencies, or similar organizations. The program has two areas of concentration: (1) Quality Management and Patient Safety and (2) Project Management. The curriculum includes integrative experiences that require students to apply real world practice and to synthesize knowledge and skills covered throughout the program. Using the case study method and other problem-solving integrative methodologies, the program provides opportunities for students to participate in team-based activities.

Stevenson's innovative accelerated M.S. in Healthcare Management is designed for working adults who want to complete their degree quickly and expand their career horizons by strengthening their credentials as healthcare managers and administrators. All of the coursework can be completed online. The Master of Science in Healthcare Management including both concentrations has now received specialized accreditation through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

Quality Management and Patient Safety

This area of concentration prepares graduates to plan, organize, lead, control, and evaluate quality improvement initiatives in healthcare organizations. Course work is focused on ethical, effective, evidence-based, patient-centric theory and practices.

Project Management in Healthcare

This area of concentration prepares graduates to plan, organize, lead, control, and evaluate healthcare organization projects from start to finish. Course work is focused on ethical, effective financial management, innovative leadership, and interdisciplinary teamwork theory and practices.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the Master of Science in Healthcare Management, graduates will be able to:

1. Determine conceptual approaches and techniques to analyze the performance of a healthcare system or unit.
2. Evaluate the health status of populations served by healthcare organizations to address service gaps.
3. Assess the impact of proposed health policy on organizational operations and redesign those structures as needed.
4. Apply principles of leading and managing organizational change and promoting organizational and clinical excellence. 
5. Manage information resources to assist in legal, ethical, and effective business and clinical decision-making and management.
6. Communicate effectively with external and internal stakeholders.
7. Apply principles of leading and managing health services organizations under alternative financing mechanisms. 
8. Apply principles of leading and managing human resources and health professionals in diverse organizational environments. 
9. Analyze statistical, qualitative, quantitative, and economic data to assist in ethical and effective business and clinical decision-making.

Quality Management and Patient Safety Concentration Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, a graduate in the quality management and patient safety concentration will be able to:

1. Formulate a plan to assess performance of quality management and patient-centric safety efforts in a healthcare system or unit.
2. Critique, synthesize and apply theories, models, and research relating to quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
3. Deduce trends in healthcare that promote best practices in ethical and effective, evidence-based quality management and patient safety.
4. Produce techniques of operations assessment and improvement that continually improve the quality of care provided and patient safety.
5. Propose and justify methods and tools for analysis of quality management and patient-centric safety initiatives.
6. Demonstrate through written, oral, and other presentation skills, an in-depth understanding of the quality management and patient safety efforts in a healthcare system or unit.
7. Apply principles of leading and managing a quality improvement and patient safety initiative in a healthcare system or unit. 
8. Analyze and interpret statistical, quantitative data and other performance indicators of quality management and patient safety initiatives.

Project Management in Healthcare Concentration Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, a graduate in the project management in leadership concentration will be able to:

1. Formulate a plan to assess performance of project management in a healthcare system or unit.
2. Critique, synthesize and apply theories, models, and research relating to project management in a healthcare system or unit. 
3. Deduce trends in best practices in healthcare teamwork that promote ethical, effective, and efficient interdisciplinary project management.
4. Produce techniques of operations assessment and improvement that assess project management efficiency and effectiveness.
5. Propose and justify tools and methods of project management. 
6. Demonstrate through written, oral, and other presentation skills, an in-depth understanding of project management in a healthcare system or unit.
7. Apply principles of leading and managing in a project with an interdisciplinary team in a healthcare system or unit.
8. Analyze and interpret statistical, quantitative data and other performance indicators of project management in a healthcare system or unit. 

Policies

The grade of "C" is the lowest acceptable grade, and only one can be awarded during the program. A student may repeat one course in a graduate program one time. Once a student has repeated a course, the student will not be permitted to repeat any other courses. If a student repeats a course, only the latter grade is used in computing the grade point average. However, all courses taken become a part of the student's academic record. Further, a student may withdraw from each graduate course one time only. A minimum cumulative 3.00 grade point average on all graduate work attempted is required for graduation. Only one grade of "C" may be applied toward the GPA requirement. Degree requirements must be completed within seven years after the first course applied to the degree was completed.

Newly admitted students to the MS in HCM program are allowed to take only one course in the first session after their admission. Depending on the date of admission, the student must take either HCM 600 or HCM 605 as their first and only course. More than one course in their first session requires written permission from the program coordinator. Upon successful completion of their first session, students may register for more than one course.

Requirements

Students must complete all core courses, all courses for the selected track, and two electives from the approved course list. 

Core Courses

Quality Management and Patient Safety Track

Project Management in Healthcare Track

Electives

Certificate Options

Quality Management and Patient Safety

Course Descriptions

See Healthcare Management Course Descriptions