Master of Health Administration, MHA

Learning Outcomes

The MHA program prepares graduates for their initial positions as health care managers and provides a solid foundation for executive career development in a variety of health organizations.

Core Competencies

Leading People

Professionalism
  • Demonstrate effective verbal communication, including but not limited to formal individual and team presentations; and prepare effective written business communications.
  • Think critically and assess the potential impact and consequences of decisions in a broad variety of situations.
  • Commit to ethical professional behavior.
  • Commit to the personal pursuit of professional development.
Team Development
  • Use leadership practices that support team effectiveness.
  • Perform effectively on teams and in different team roles as appropriate to the situation.
  • Support effective conflict management approaches in interpersonal and team situations.
  • Integrate the knowledge and experiences of other professions, as appropriate, to inform and implement decisions.

Managing Resources

Finances
  • Interpret balance sheets and income statements.
  • Compile and analyze financial information to develop a business plan for a new service or program.
  • Explain revenue cycle and its impact on financial stability.
  • Summarize the process for strategic capital formation.
Operations
  • Distinguish different approaches to organizational design for the organization and delivery of health care.
  • Use various improvement tools to address quality, safety, and efficiency goals, including lean techniques and performance monitoring tools.
  • Develop an evaluation plan based on operational or strategic goals.
  • Use organizational behavior concepts to solve problems and make decisions in the day-to-day management of health care organizations.
  • Apply concepts and techniques related to the management of human resources in health care organizations.
  • Interpret ethical issues and legal concerns and use appropriate approaches to analyze and resolve them, including recognizing when to seek counsel.
Information
  • Explain the roles of, and relationship between, electronic medical records and financial data systems for clinical and strategic decision-making and for evaluating the quality and efficiency of care.
  • Analyze data and use the results to address strategic, operational, financial, and quality performance indicators for health care organizations.

Setting Strategic Direction

  • Value the roles and relationships of governance, executive leadership, and external stakeholders in strategically addressing the health needs of a community or target population.
  • Conduct an environmental assessment to identify changing needs/demands of a community, including an analysis of demographics, epidemiological data, organizational capacity, competitor strategies, technological changes, regulatory issues, and payment methods.
  • Develop a business plan to propose a new service or program, addressing strategic objectives, financial analysis, structural and staffing implications, and evaluation.

Improving Population Health

  • Appreciate the impact of social and behavioral determinants of health and their interrelationships on health and health care delivery.
  • Distinguish and compare the major settings for, and types of, health care services, including individual and population health, and payers.
  • Explain the process for developing and implementing new policies and regulations at the state and federal levels.
  • Analyze new health care regulations/laws to determine the likely impact on different stakeholders, including care delivery organizations, payers, and individuals.
  • Analyze the impact of changes to payment mechanisms on health care delivery and health outcomes using economic and insurance concepts.
  • Relate the roles of health care and public health in contributing to the health of a defined population.
  • Assess health care workforce need projections and critical issues related to workforce needs for the future.