Health Services Management Courses and Training Programs

<p>As a health services manager, you can work in settings such as a hospital, home health care organization or government hospice facility. You typically need a degree to work in this role, and may need to have previous healthcare experience if seeking employment in a specialized area, such as nursing. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Degrees</b> </td><td> Associate of Arts in Health Care Management, Bachelor of Science in Health Services Management, Master of Science in Health Systems Management</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Certificates</b> </td><td> Graduate Certificate in Health Services Management, Certificate in Health Finance and Management</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Courses</b> </td><td> Health care financial management, health care economics, health care policies, health care marketing, health care facilities management, legal and ethical issues in health care</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---WhatDoesAHealthServicesManagerDo">What Does a Health Services Manager Do?</h3> <p>You may oversee a specific department, such as nursing or health information, or you may be in charge of the overall operations of the entire facility. You may be responsible for day-to-day operations, such as paying invoices, ordering supplies and managing staff. You might also assist with crisis management in dealing with patients, as well as ensure the operations of the facility meets all the laws mandated by federal, state and local government. </p> <h3 id="section---WhichSchoolsOfferHealthServicesManagementDegreePrograms">Which Schools Offer Health Services Management Degree Programs?</h3> <p>Studies in health services management, health services administration or healthcare administration are available at many colleges and universities across the U.S. Since it is recommended that those who wish to become a health services manager possess either a bachelor's or master's degree, the list of schools below will focus primarily on these degrees: </p> <ul><li>East Carolina University (Bachelor's) </li><li>Colorado State University (Bachelor's) </li><li>Excelsior College (Bachelor's) </li><li>University of Maryland University College (Bachelor's) </li><li>University of Michigan (Master's) </li><li>Harvard University (Master's) </li><li>Xavier University (Master's) </li><li>University of Evansville (Master's) </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatDegreeShouldIGet">What Degree Should I Get?</h3> <p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that a master's degree is a common requirement for a health care management position (<i>www.bls.gov</i>), though a bachelor's degree can sometimes suffice to begin working in the field and may be all that is required by some employers. You can find programs designed to train current and future health services managers to manage facilities, such as hospitals, clinics and assisted-living facilities. If you have no prior undergraduate education, you may be required to take general business coursework, including human resources, accounting and organizational management. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatWillIStudy">What Will I Study?</h3> <p>Within your master's studies, you can expect to take courses in health policy, government regulations, ethics, community outreach and public health. You will also learn how various departments within a hospital depend on one another. You may find programs affiliated with hospitals, giving you a chance to gain hands-on experience in an internship or practicum. If you're already employed, your current work may substitute for your internship. </p> <p>Specific coursework you could take in a Master of Health Administration (MHA), Master of Health Service Administration or Master in Health Care Management include: </p> <ul><li>Epidemiology </li><li>Managed health care </li><li>Health services systems </li><li>Professional development </li><li>Health service organizational behavior </li></ul><h3 id="section---HowShouldIPrepareForAMasterSDegreeProgram">How Should I Prepare for a Master's Degree Program?</h3> <p>According to the BLS, managers that specialize in certain areas of health care often have an undergraduate degree in their specialty. For example, managers of nursing departments are expected to have experience in nursing, while managers of health information systems should have experience in information technology. A health services management degree would help you build upon any previous health care experience you may have. You might pursue a bachelor's degree in business administration, health care management or health information management. Your master's program may also require that you have work experience before applying to the program. </p> <p>Master's degree programs in health services management and health care management are available both online and partially online. Some online programs are geared specifically toward those who have bachelor's degrees and work experience in a field. This type of program may require that you take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or have a registered nurse (RN) license. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatCertificatesAreAvailable">What Certificates Are Available?</h3> <p>Certificate programs in health services management are available at the undergraduate and graduate levels. These programs cover health care administration policy, finance and ethics. If you are interested in working as an administrator at a nursing home, you may be required to complete an additional certificate program, such as a state-sponsored program, to become licensed in the state where you want to work.</p>