Healthcare Administration, Bachelor of Science

Program Overview

The Healthcare Administration program teaches students how to become entry-level managers in many different kinds of healthcare settings. They learn the fundamental areas of healthcare administration including finance, accounting, management, technology, community health, healthcare research, long-term care administration, global health, managed care, and healthcare delivery systems. Graduates will serve as business advocates in the global healthcare workplace.

The business of healthcare needs well-educated caring professionals to manage:

• Medical Units
• Long-term Care Centers
• Hospital Departments
• Community Health and Physician Office Practices

Medical and health services managers plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of healthcare. These workers are either specialists in charge of a specific clinical department or generalists who manage an entire facility or system.

Program Outcomes

Healthcare Administration students first learn basic business and accounting skills as they apply to the healthcare industry. They then learn about health information systems, managed care systems, marketing a healthcare business, public health issues, and legal and ethical issues in healthcare. The acute care track prepares entry level managers for work in hospitals, clinics, and emergency centers. The long term care track prepares students for careers as long term care administrators in skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, and assisted living.

Upon completion of this program, graduates are able to:

• Critically analyze research findings for evidence-based medicine and management practices by applying core healthcare administration and fundamental knowledge of the arts and sciences for decision-making.
• Distinguish the legal and ethical standards of practice for healthcare administrators in a variety of healthcare settings and situations.
• Explain the complex relationships between healthcare payors, institutions, and customers within the state, nation, and foreign countries from economic and financial perspectives.
• Apply principles of healthcare administration within the continuum of care.
• Compare and contrast various U.S. healthcare delivery systems nationally and globally.
• Understand and utilize epidemiologic assessments, economic trends, population changes, and healthcare trends.
• Identify and recognize current and future health information technology, biotechnology, and other technological implications in the delivery of healthcare services.
• Apply skills, values, and knowledge from the coursework to present a complex business proposal for a healthcare unit.
• Incorporate a financial plan, human resources planning, a marketing strategy, basic and advanced technologoy needs, reimbursement, and applicability to the community.

For additional information about the program outcomes, please see the Student Consumer Information (link to: http://www.ecpi.edu/medical/program/healthcare-administration-bachelor-degree/ ) which provides additional information on the future careers, success, cost, and financing for this program. For information on the University Completion and Graduation Rates, please see Information About the University on the ECPI website (link to: http://www.ecpi.edu/services/about-ecpi-university/ )

In less than 2.5 years, through the year-round schedule, you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration

About Healthcare Administration

The Bachelor of Science degree program in Healthcare Administration produces graduates who may plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of healthcare. Program emphasis will be on the preparation of future medical and health services managers to deal with the integration of healthcare delivery systems, technological innovations, an increasingly complex regulatory environment, and an increased focus on preventive care. Program graduates will be prepared to improve efficiency in a variety of healthcare settings and to positively impact the quality of the care provided.

Some jobs may require background checks and drug screening. Ability to obtain security clearance is a plus for certain government jobs.

Students could seek entry level management positions in many different kinds of acute care healthcare venues and in long term care facilities.

Recommended Certifications

Certifications are not required for completion of this program; however, ECPI encourages student to obtain all appropriate certifications to increase potential job opportunities. ECPI provides students in this program with vouchers which allow the student to take certification exams at a greatly reduced cost. While no certifications are necessary for the acute care track, State licensing as a long term care administrator is required by most states to be employed as a nursing home administrator.

Program Outline

To receive the Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration, the student must earn 121 semester credit hours. The program requires a minimum of eight semesters or 30 months of instruction. The program requirements are as follows:

Program Requirements

Core Curriculum

58 semester credit hours

Arts and Sciences

43 semester credit hours

Self Integration and Computer Literacy

7 semester credit hours

Acute Care Track

13 semester credit hours

Long Term Care Track

13 semester credit hours