Health Systems Administration

Core Course Descriptions – required for all students in the Health Systems Administration program

0626-707 Applied Data Analysis
Provides an understanding of statistical methodology used to interpret data found in surveys and other opinion instruments. These opinion surveys gather information from consumers regarding the quality of their experience with the organization. Credit 2

0635-712 Library Research Methods
This course is to instruct the learner how to conduct research using the tools the RIT library can provide. Fundamentals include use of on-line search engines and databases. (Required for HSA Students, available for HSM graduate students) Credit 1

0635-718 Research Writing
In preparation for writing a capstone project this course provides guidelines and practice in benchmarking.. (Required for HSA Students, available for HSM graduate students) Credit 1

0635-820 Health Systems Economics & Finance
Investigation of the efficiency, effectiveness and equity of the economics of health care and a conceptual and practical knowledge of health care finance. Reviews sources of funding, the accounting and reporting process, and the influence of third-party payers on the provision of health care through applied exercises. Provides an integrated overview of managerial economics, financial management, and product management for distinct health care organizations composing the overall health care system.  Credit 4

0635-840 Health Systems Policy & Law
An examination of the roles and responsibilities of policy makers on the health care system. Compares and contrasts the regulatory functions of varying levels of government and the political process as it relates to health care systems. Examination of control issues and regulatory dynamics, the legislative process, and regulatory trends in the United States. Assessment of health systems’ strategies and responses to regulatory oversight. An overview of legislation as it applies to health facilities and administrative law using case studies. Credit 4

0625-844 Breakthrough Thinking, Creativity & Innovation
Learning to solve problems, create profound decisions, and continuously change our organizations has always been a function of leadership. Today’s fast-paced global business environment requires that we utilize equally insightful, aggressive, and distinctly new processes to change. This course examines the global phenomenon and builds in the learner new methods to achieve leadership in an age of change—breakthrough thinking, creativity, and innovation. The learner will become adept at true value innovation in a knowledge/service economy. Credit 4

0625-846 Service Leadership Futures
This course changes each year as it evolves from students’ interpretations of what it should entail. In general, students will gain the capacity to examine both current status and future route(s) of service industries. It is a first in a series of courses that will prepare career-minded individuals to function in our rapidly changing environment and, more important, in the future. The goal is to create leaders for tomorrow’s service organizations and society. Credit 4

Students select a concentration which best enhances their career path.  Concentrations are listed below.

0635-752    Clinical Information Systems
This course will present an overview of several of the evolving clinical information systems present in the healthcare marketplace.  A sampling of computerized systems including those found in the hospital, payer, nursing home, physician office, and other healthcare settings will be explored.  Emphasis will be placed on the systems to computerized systems in each of the above named areas.  In particular, the student will be exposed to a variety of current technologies, which are being deployed in these areas.  The benefits of the use of such technology will be analyzed and the requirements for planning and deployment of such systems will also be studied.  Prerequisite: health care information systems 0635-715.90,   introductory technology/systems course or relevant experience.  Computer systems hardware and software in healthcare recommended
Credit 4

0635-754    eHealth
 This course will give students a broad overview of essential concepts in and applications of, web based technologies in healthcare.  Ehealth topics covered will include review, discuss and analyze industry trends, explore emerging ecare solutions and investigate ehealth ethical guidelines and governmental regulation established to ensure privacy, standardization and health content reputability
Credit 4

0635-810 Health Administration Application
This course presents and overview of the various types of application used in the health administration arena.  Emphasis will be placed on understanding the terminology and functionality of the basic software components that make, collect and utilize health care data for administrative support and decision-making as well as insurance, billing and reimbursement.  Students will examine the software infrastructure needed to support health care enterprise such as hospitals and smaller health care entities.  The goal of this course is to provide the student with a sufficient application familiarity so they can make meaningful IS and IT decisions.

0635-830 Health Systems Planning
A review of the methodology of planning effectively for health care systems. The use of data systems, forecasting, along with the process of strategic planning, setting priorities, developing projects, and allocating resources. Students will utilize a “balanced scorecard” for strategic planning, review the dynamics of alliances and partnerships decisions, and discuss issues of board governance. Credit 4

0635-882 Bioethics
An overview of what ethics means, the principal ethical theories, and their application to specific bioethical issues. The course will familiarize students with ethics and ethical principles, the role of ethics in professional life, what are bioethics and an appreciation of ethical issues and arguments surrounding contemporary bioethical issues such as death, rationing health care and managed care. Credit 4

0625-750 Elements of Service Management: Systems Approach
A general systems framework is used to explore the major components of service management using a variety of service sectors—health care, banking, insurance, real estate and hospitality-tourism. The course examines the interactions, interdependencies, and interactivity of service systems—to learn about the synergistic effects of the current changeable markets. In addition to this organizational focus above, the course begins the process of examining the learning organization from a professional and personal focus. Credit 4

0625-842 Customer Relationship Management
The customer relationship management (CRM) course develops learners’ ability to help their organizations manage interactions with customers across multiple channels, maximize revenue opportunities, build foundations to increase customer satisfaction and drive customer retention and loyalty. Credit 4

0626-735    Human Capital Strategy
This course examines how to develop a human capital strategy to acquire, retain, and engage the best available talent require for current and future success. It examines tools and techniques for human capital planning, sourcing, retention, and development. Students in this course examine benchmark practices from all industry types to derive effective strategies for their own organizations. They develop a human capital strategy and complete and integrated set of projects to implement selected components of the strategy. Credit 4

0625-842 Customer Relationship Management (see description above)

0635-798 Aging in America and the Impact on Healthcare
People are living longer in the United States and around the world. The aging process affects physiological and cognitive functioning which translates into requirements of our health care system to plan and accommodate the demand for services as the population ages. This course will explore the aging process into adult senior years. Further discussion will occur about the impact the aging phenomenon has on health systems planning and what health care systems are required to support the aging population. Credit 4

0635-716 Law and Policy Senior Retirement Options
Retirement living in the United States has evolved to be a significant industry. Legislation and regulations govern the continuum of care for the independent as well as corporate organizations that provide senior living. The purpose of this course is to review the federal and state regulations governing senior retirement living, discussion of senior living models and the leadership requirements to operate and manage such facilities. Credit 4

Health Systems Finance (4 courses)

0635-815 Finance for Operation
This course is an introductory course that examines the responsibilities of the finance function in health care entities and its relations to the operating responsible centers (or departments). Subject matter is broad enough to include both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations in the allied health field. While this is distance learning course, students are invited to participate in the first two on-campus lectures (attendance is optional, and those not attending will receive a videotape of the campus sessions). Topics include terminology and measurement, cost finding and allocation, budgeting and the budgeting process, report, reimbursement, interpretation of financial statements, and facilities and materials management. (Matriculated in the health systems masters’ program or permission of the department chairperson) Credit 4

0635-797 Strategies for Health Systems Accountability
Consumers, the government and the third party payers have developed numerous strategies to try to hold health care systems accountable for performance and utilization of best practices. Financial reimbursement is often directly linked to compliance to these strategies. The need for change and perhaps increased accountability by all involved is evident in the results of today's health care systems. Rising cost, medical errors, uninsured and failing health care providers indicate a system in crisis. This course will discuss the current status of health care in America, review the strengths and weaknesses of the system and what a redesigned health care model should hope to accomplish. After determining what could or should be done an analysis of accountability strategies of each interest group will be reviewed with a study of their unique financial and operational implications upon the health care system. Each analysis will include a discussion of what could be done to make these strategies work in the new model of health care. Credit 4

0635-796 Risk Management in Health Systems
This course identifies the risk inherent within health care- institutions, organizations, agencies and for individual providers. The management of risk is explored as part of a strategic response of an organization or individual within health care. Specifically the risk inherent within health care organizations; in communications and sharing of data; in the embracing of new technologies and drug treatment therapies; and the expectations of corporate compliance will be discussed. The role of quality assurance will be reviewed as a strategy to control risk. Credit 4

0635-881 Health Insurance Reimbursement
An in-depth look at characteristics of successful managed care plans. The course will familiarize the student with all essential elements of managed care, using the tools needed to model and compare various managed care structures. Credit 4

Additional Courses

0635-723 Lean Sigma Application in Health Care
This course teaches the principles of Lean-Sigma & the application of its process improvement methodologies (& tools) in a health care environment. The history of lean & key principles of six sigma will be discussed. The merging of these two powerful process improvement methodologies will be examined in the context of health care. The Toyota Production System (TPS) & its key leadership principles will by analyzed. The curriculum examines the current challenges encountered in the healthcare industry and the application of Lean-Sigma to improve overall performance specifically in the clinical, administrative and service segments. Through the examination of published health care case studies, white papers, and articles, current application of Lean-Sigma in health care will be analyzed. The method & roadmap for deploying Lean-Sigma to obtain administration effectiveness will be studied and practiced. Over the curriculum students, though homework exercises, will practice and apply what they have learned to common processes; the result of these exercises & the results will be presented in class. Credit 4

0635-890 Health Systems Independent Study
Provides for Independent study or research activity in subject areas not included in any existing course in the degree program, but having special value to students. Proposals approved by a supervising faculty member and the program chair are required prior to registration. This course may be taken more than once. Variable credit 4-8

0635-777 Health Systems Administration Internship
This is a health systems administration internship. Consists of a professional placement in an appropriate health care organization of at least 240 hours. Required for students without health care work experience. Can be taken in place of electives. Students will arrange with their program chair or assigned adviser, negotiate any arrangement necessary for on-site supervision and develop a written proposal. Students will present an oral evaluation of their experiences at the final course seminar. Variable credit 2–8
New courses to curriculum

0635-798 Special Topics
Experimental courses are offered under this number; Titles appear in each quarter’s course listing. Credit 1–5

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November 18, 2008