HCLD - Healthcare Leadership

This course is an introduction and examination of the current global health care industry, including knowledge of relevant trends. It introduces healthcare and medical terminology and the exploration of the healthcare continuum. The class includes issues such as health policy, health values and beliefs, patient rights, managed care models, reimbursement, malpractice, risk management, and integration and interaction among healthcare sectors and regulating agencies, government and economic influence on the system.

This course introduces the student to professional communication in the health care setting and explores the range of communication competencies required by health care professionals in a successful organization. Communication between individuals, within groups and through electronic media is practiced. Students are guided in methods for dissemination and interpretation of health related messages to the community.

This course will introduce the student to the basics of project management and team dynamics within a health care environment. Project management skills, monitoring progress and evaluating/revising approaches and outcomes will be explored. Students will also utilize principles of team dynamics required in a health care environment that are values driven, effective, and efficient.

This course introduces the student to the use of information within a healthcare environment. Students will learn to identify relevant information to be used for decision making. Performance tools such as key performance indicators, benchmarking will be introduced and applied. Quality, patient safety and risk management factors will be the focus of discussion. Various sources of information will be identified and evaluated to be used to establish priorities and set performance goals for a health care organization.

An introduction to the challenges and requirements encountered by today's health care manager. Application of management theory and skill-building will be the central instructional foci utilizing workplace scenarios and simulation exercises. Topics include managing change, human resources and multigenerational and multicultural diversity. The student will apply communication principles and team dynamics within the classroom that will promote collaboration within real life healthcare systems.

The fundamental financial skills and concepts necessary to succeed as a manager in a health care organization are introduced. Analysis of the challenges encountered by healthcare financial managers will be discussed. Theory and its application to real-life examples will be used in an interactive classroom format. Topics include the evolution of financial management in health care, resource allocation, operating revenue, profit versus non-profit agencies, financial statement analysis, accounts receivable and working capital, and future trends in healthcare financial management.

Applying Transformation tools, key concepts and ability to use basic analytical tools related to strategy, financial, economic, and marketing planning in a health care organization. Topics include revenues, costs, supply and demand, pricing, sales and advertising, and the development of products and services to meet market needs.

Discussion will include the internal operating environment of a health care organization, including the impact of current health care regulations, legislation, and advocacy. Topics will include governance role and structure and medical staff role and by-laws in relation to the healthcare organization. Organization and communication structures between patients, providers, and administration will be identified. Information systems, risk management, accreditation and customer satisfaction principles and tools will be a focus. Marketing and public and community relations will be explored.

Explores leadership theory and practice within the health care environment including issues such as emerging models of effective values-centered leadership, conflicts between individual value systems, ethical standards and legal considerations, and protection of the rights of patients, practitioners, and institutions. Research paper satisfies advanced writing requirement.

This capstone course emphasizes student participation, initiative, and integration of knowledge and skills gained throughout the HCL program. The focus of this practicum is service-learning. Service-learning is a way of learning through experience in which the student apply healthcare leadership skills by addressing community organization needs and contribute in a meaningful way to a non-profit organization.