Graduate Health Systems Management Degree
Concentration in Risk Management and Patient Safety

39 credit hours comprise the Health Systems Management, concentration in Risk Management and Patient Safety. 24 credits form the common core of the degree and another 15 form the major.This concentration prepares individuals with advanced skills in health related risk assessment, management and safety improvement in health care organizations and to gain  in-depth knowledge to function effectively as Healthcare Risk Managers. 

Admission Requirements

For admission, students need to have a Bachelors of Science from an accredited University or its equivalent, grade point average of 3.0 or better, two letters of reference, and a completed application form.  No GRE, GMAT or other tests are necessary; foreign students need to provide a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

In addition completing Health Systems Management Core courses, students in this concentration must take 15 credits of concentration courses in three areas: Health Care and the Law, Analysis of Risk and Electives.

Program of Study

• Required Core Courses (24-27)
  • HAP 678* (3:3:0)
    Introduction to US Health Systems*
    Course is required, as a prerequisite to all other certificate courses, for students who do not have familiarity with all aspects (financing, providers, care systems) of the U.S. health care system and recent working experience. Explores the structure, function, and financing of the health care delivery systems in the U.S. Designed to familiarize students with the development of the various sub-systems of care and the ways in which public, private, and social forces influence the politics of healthcare, shape the system, and impact public health. Includes analysis of systems infrastructure and the socio-political context of the U.S. health care system. Course Website.
    *If students have not had recent, relevant experience in the US Health System/Industry, an additional 3 credit course is required: HAP 678: Introduction to the US Health System (thus bringing the number of credits required to 42).
  • HAP 586 (3:3:0)
    Operations/Quality Management of Health Services
    Examines the operations and quality management functions of a health care/service organization from a strategic viewpoint. Explores the contributions of operations research and quality management to improve delivery and production of health services and business processes from the perspective of the health care manager. Explores contemporary performance measures (quality and productivity) useful for improving process performance and selected decision support system methods from operations management. Course website.
  • HAP 621 (3)
    Management of Health Service Organizations
    An introductory course in the application of organizational and management theory, relating to the management of health service organizations. Emphasis is placed on leadership and trends in organizational structure that affect performance effectiveness, quality and inter-organizational relations, and the values and principles of health management as a profession.
  • HAP 501 (3:3:0)
    Introduction to Biostatistics
    Applies selected biostatistics techniques to public health and health system management issues. Includes univariate, bivariate statistics and regression analysis.
  • HHS 750 (3:3:0)
    Legal Issues Relevant to Health Care Administration
    Provides students with a general understanding of the United States legal system and sources of law, with a particular emphasis on laws that govern or are applicable to the health care industry and general administration. Students examine the changing health care models and delivery systems and the laws affecting such systems.
  • HAP 512
    Introduction to Health Services Research (3:3:0)
    Prerequisites: HAP 678 (if required in program of study) and HAP 501 or equivalent statistics course. An introductory course in the basic methods of interdisciplinary health services research and program evaluation in health systems and policy. The course covers topics related to policy, management, and program effect and evaluation within health delivery systems, including research design, existing data systems, measurement of quality and basic cost benefit, and effectiveness analysis.
  • HAP 715 (3:3:0)
    Health Economics
    Emphasizes health care managers an understanding of economic efficiency in the U.S. health system. Microeconomic methods are used to examine markets and resources in health care. Health care is examined as a commodity, and the demand for health and medical care services, provider behavior, and the function and behavior of insurance markets is explored. Selected topics include: government role, financing arrangements, insurance reform, rationing, price regulation, and provider competition.
  • HAP 740 (3:3:0)
    Management of Health Information Systems
    Introduces health and medical information systems with emphasis on systems analysis and design to support managerial and clinical communications and decision making. Explores trends and innovations in information technology and systems, focusing on the managerial oversight of health and medical information systems. Explores contemporary management strategies for information systems personnel. Course Website.
  • HAP 790 (3:2:6)
    Practicum
    The Practicum consists of 20 hours and is taken in the last semester of study as a Capstone Course. Practicum Website.
    All coursework in the major must be completed. Arrangements must be made with the instructor a semester in advance. Permission of instructor required.
• Risk Management and Patient Safety Concentration (15)
• Health Care and Law (6)
  • HHS 750 (3:3:0)
    Legal Issues Relevant to Health Care Administration
    Provides students with a general understanding of the United States legal system and sources of law, with a particular emphasis on laws that govern or are applicable to the health care industry and general administration. Students examine the changing health care models and delivery systems and the laws affecting such systems. 
  • HAP 690 (1-3:0:)
    Independent Study in Health Science
    Prerequisite: admission to graduate program, and permission of associate dean for academic programs. In-depth self-direct study of a specified area(s) of health science theory, research, or practice and their medico-legal or ‘risk exposure’ implications May be repeated for maximum 3 credits.  The independent study must focus on legal issues.

    Students may also meet this requirement by taking courses in Economics and the  Law or from the Administration of Justice Program within the Department of Public and International Affairs (as approved by the advisor).

• Analysis of Risk Courses (6 credits)
  • HAP 730 (3:3:0)
    Health Care Decision Analysis
    Students integrate scientific evidence, patients' preferences, and experts' opinions to analyze managerial decisions and identify optimal alternatives. Included are applications to analysis of practice patterns, benchmarking, probabilistic risk assessment, cost analysis, conflict analysis and measurement of severity of illness. Decision analytical tools such as Multi-Attribute Value Models, Bayesian Probability Networks, and Decision Trees are covered.
  • HAP 735 (3:3:0)
    Risk Analysis in Health and Bioscience
    Students learn to assess risk at the time of increased threats and drive the information security program of healthcare organization. The course includes qualitative and quantitative risk analysis models, risk analysis life cycle as well as methods of evaluating the validity and reliability of existing indices. Students learn about existing tools for assessment of risk as well as procedures for construction of new risk indices.
    Note: With the Advisor’s approval, students may also meet this requirement by taking courses in Epidemiology and Biostatistics program in the College of Health and Human Services. 
• Elective Course (3 credit)
  Select one from the following:
  • HAP 547 (3:3:0)
    Regulatory Requirements for Health Care Systems
    This course is designed to help health care professionals understand the linkage between the infrastructures of the organization and the regulatory/accreditation processes for health care organizations. An overview covers the major accrediting agencies, their roles, the accreditation principles, and the survey process. Applications will focus on hospitals, with reference to ambulatory care, managed care organizations, rehabilitation centers, laboratories, home health and long-term care facilities. Emphasis will be placed on the requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) and the regulations mandated by the Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA)
  • HAP 762 (3:3:0)
    Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for Health Care Management and Policy
    A survey course in health services research methods for the application of economic evaluation techniques used in health care policy analysis and clinical or administrative applications for health care service planning and evaluation.  Content introduces methods applied to health care technology assessment, medical decision making, health resource allocation and policy decision making. 
    
    Note: with the approval of the advisor, students may take an alternate elective.

• Total = 39-42 credits

Explanation of Credit Hours
Course titles are followed by numbers in parentheses (0:0:0), separated by colons. The numbers have the following significance:

• First Number: credits for the course
• Second Number: hours of lecture or seminar per week for the course
• Third Number: hours of laboratory for the course

For independent study, readings, topics, or similar courses, individual instructors set hours.