The way society views leadership in the health care sector has evolved in the COVID-19 era. The global pandemic has heightened the focus on our health care systems and encouraged leaders to rethink and improve communication and organizational leadership.
Today’s health care leaders must show an aptitude for quick, strategic decision-making, effective communication and a comprehensive understanding of business intelligence within contemporary health systems. A Master of Business Administration with a Health Services Administration Concentration from Eastern Washington University could arm you with those tools and more.
Fully online and accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, EWU’s MBA program provides health professionals the opportunity to build on their skills and transition into a range of leadership roles without taking time away from personal or professional obligations. The program empowers them to take control of their careers and connect with peers and expert faculty to:
- Better understand health services delivery models and standards
- Examine health law, regulatory and human resource issues within the health care sector
- Study financial operations within health systems in detail
- Learn how business intelligence insights can support a health system’s strategic operations
EWU offers seven start dates each year that enable potential students to begin their MBA on their own terms.
Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and submit all transcripts from previous colleges/universities attended along with a professional resume. The outlined requirements for applicants include a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the last 90 quarter or 60 semester-graded postsecondary credit hours. Applicants with a lower GPA may still be eligible to apply; their years of professional work experience and index score (GPA x 200 + GMAT) receive consideration from EWU on a case-by-case basis.
Coursework
The curriculum for EWU’s online MBA program with a Health Services Administration Concentration is made up of 44 credit hours, including 28 hours of core courses and 16 hours of concentration courses, tailored to set professionals on a path to success in their respective careers. Applicants with a non-business bachelor’s degree from an accredited university will benefit from 12 hours of accelerated foundational courses in business. Students with a bachelor’s degree in business from an accredited college or university can bypass the business foundation coursework.
The following core courses in EWU’s MBA program curriculum account for 28 credit hours:
- Essentials of Operations Management: This course provides foundational knowledge of the various quantitative tools applicable to specific business problems.
- Data-Driven Decision-Making: The ability to properly organize and use data to make efficient, intelligent decisions is critical for leaders. This course provides a solid understanding of data analysis tools and how they can be used and misused.
- Corporate Finance: This course examines the contemporary issues facing financial managers and analyzes the relationship between risk, capital structure, cost of capital and dividend policy.
- Marketing Management: Proper marketing can have a major impact on business. Improper marketing can, as well. This course covers both the theoretical and applied aspects of the marketing process.
- Leadership and Ethics: Students explore the concept and principles of leadership through the lenses of personal character, accountability and ethical action — all of which reflect and emphasize the core aspects of a leader’s responsibilities.
- Advanced Accounting for Managers: This course focuses on incorporating accounting information and accounting information systems into the business decision-making process.
- MBA Capstone: Students apply the knowledge gained from previous coursework to solve organizational problems in a case study, simulation or project format, further emphasizing the value of strategic thinking for business leaders.
Students will gain industry-specific knowledge in the following 16 hours of Health Services Administration Concentration courses:
- S. Health Systems: This course introduces students to health delivery systems, including the various models and standards that impact population health.
- Health Law and Human Resources: Students explore the connection between the legal system, legal issues within the operation and the regulation of health care institutions.
- Health Systems Finance and Governance: This course takes a practical approach to understanding the financial operations and governance that lead to the success of organizations.
- Business Intelligence in Health Systems: Students review current health systems implementation and explore how to utilize information as a resource in supporting a health system’s overall strategic operation.
The health care sector presents a broad range of leadership roles that MBA graduates can successfully transition into, including lucrative careers in providing medical services, supplying equipment or pharmaceuticals, administering health care facilities or even blazing trails in medical entrepreneurship. Potential jobs include hospital administrator (average annual salary of $110,430 in a hospital setting), health informatics manager ($148,290), pharmaceutical product manager ($138,950), hospital chief executive officer ($184,460), and hospital chief financial officer ($129,890).
Plus, the demand for medical and health services managers is on the rise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that this field is expected to grow by 32% through 2029, which is eight times faster than the average growth rate for all job categories. An online MBA in Health Services Administration can equip professionals with the knowledge and versatility to successfully lead in this evolving, essential industry.
Learn more about EWU’s MBA With a Health Services Administration Concentration online program.
Sources:
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
NEJM Catalyst: Improving Health Care Leadership in the Covid-19 Era
MHA Degree: 5+ Top MBA Healthcare Management Careers + Salary Outlook
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical and Health Services Managers
