As the new decade begins, the United States healthcare system is in a process of transformation. Targeted higher education programs, technology and changes in federal regulations are driving the country to overcome considerable systemic problems, especially in relation to other developed nations.
An Evolving Healthcare System Needs Extensively Trained Professionals
In spite of the fact that a disproportionate number of the world’s leading healthcare and pharmaceutical companies are American, per capita spending on healthcare in the United States far exceeds that of almost all other developed nations. Equitable access to healthcare, quality of care and the poor health of disadvantaged populations are among the leading concerns on the societal level.
At the individual level, patients are not getting the attention from providers that they need. They are forced to switch providers when they switch jobs and insurance plans, and their costs are skyrocketing relative to inflation. Systemic incentives to over-prescribe medications has led to an overdependence on chemical interventions and an under-reliance on preventive care, not to mention the resulting opioid epidemic. These are also some of the reasons that life expectancy in the U.S. is starting to decline.
On the positive side, better technologies and drugs are making it possible to live longer with serious health conditions. But the system has a long way to go to ensure that patients are getting the right care at the right times. A critical component to the solution is the education and training of healthcare professionals.
Specialized Healthcare MBA Meets Professional, Employer and Patient Needs
The Lamar University MBA in Healthcare Administration online was developed with input from leading healthcare employers to meet the needs of the healthcare system, its employers and, most of all, patients. This AACSB-accredited program offers extensive training in the business, operational, economic, managerial, strategic and technical aspects of modern healthcare. The program begins with core MBA courses, including Managerial Decision-making, Financial Management and Strategic Management, then four specialized courses provide advanced training in the areas employers value most in this high-demand field.
If you are currently in a healthcare administrative position, you’re likely dealing with one or more of the subjects covered by the specialization courses: Healthcare Economics, Healthcare Entrepreneurship, Healthcare Strategy and Healthcare Information Systems. This program can help you acquire current expertise in these areas and synthesize it with business acumen, so you can think strategically and position yourself for managerial and leadership opportunities.
Even in the present, the high-demand skills you will develop will position you for more responsibility and better paying specialist roles. For instance, the Healthcare Information Systems course readies today’s professionals to go beyond implementing basic methodologies. Students learn to design, develop and apply technologies such as electronic health records (EHRs) and telehealth operations and to manage the large quantity of information generated by these systems.
In Healthcare Strategy, students learn to define how health services will be paid for, how capital for healthcare facilities and technologies will be acquired, and who is responsible for the cost of healthcare. Individual employers, ranging from hospitals and medical practices to insurers and NGOs, lack the resources and bandwidth to provide this kind of training, but this is precisely what they seek in leadership positions.
Education the Key to Long-term Success in a Booming Industry
Whether you work in a doctor’s office, long-term facility, urgent-care center, outpatient clinic, or insurance or pharmaceutical headquarters — whether your interest is patient advocacy, practice management or health information systems training — this program can be as important to your future in healthcare as it is to the public. Whereas tuition for similar programs can cost up to $36,000 for in-state students and $75,000 for out-of-state students, the tuition for this program is under $12,000 for in-state or out-of-state students, and about $14,000 if leveling courses are needed.
The job outlook in healthcare is exceptional, with 18% growth (as of December 2019) expected between 2018 and 2028, and with 71,600 new jobs expected for medical and health services managers alone. This recession-proof field offers a multitude of opportunities, making it ideal for those who want to make a strategic academic investment in their careers.
Learn more about Lamar University’s online MBA in Healthcare Administration program.
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