• Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). 
• Full member, Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).

Health Care is one of the largest industries in the United States, accounting for 15 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and employing approximately 8 million people. It is an extremely dynamic and complex industry. Pressures to balance cost, access and quality of care have created a challenging environment that requires well prepared managers with a variety of skills and backgrounds.

Philosophy

The Graduate Program in Health and Medical Services Administration (HMSA) offers programs for people interested in preparing for or furthering their careers in health care management. The program (M.B.A./HMSA) offers a balanced curriculum in health care management. The program is interdisciplinary, calling upon the fields of organizational behavior and management, economics, finance, policy, public health, law, institutional practice, information systems, accounting, marketing, planning and strategic management, and health services research.

The program is designed for the self-paced adult learner and stresses theory building, the practical application of learning, and individual professional development. With classes offered primarily in the evening hours, it is ideal for those individuals wishing to continue their employment while working for a graduate degree. However, it is also flexible so that those who want to pursue their degrees on a full-time basis may do so in a compressed time frame. Over 70% of HMSA students are employed full-time in the health care industry. The ability of faculty to synthesize practical organizational experiences with cutting edge theory is one of the strengths of the HMSA graduate program. The program is oriented primarily towards students with prior work experience in the health care field. However, exceptionally qualified students without experience in health care organizations are admitted.

The philosophy of the HMSA Department can be seen very clearly in its Mission Statement:

Mission

The mission of the HMSA Program is to:

• Provide a relevant, high quality education in health administration to adults working in the health care field.
• Prepare clinicians and non-clinicians for entry level and advanced management positions in health care and enable them to assume leadership roles in their field.
• Meet the needs of part-time students through excellence in teaching, program flexibility, and continuous improvement of the educational experience.
• Conduct research that improves health care management practice and policy decisions and facilitate the active dissemination and application of this research.
• Serve our stakeholders:
  • Widener University
  • local and regional health care organizations
  • the health administration profession
  • health care providers
  • the local communities

Objectives

The educational objectives of the HMSA program were developed by the faculty consistent with the recommended standards of the Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration which accredits the HMSA degree. Input was also solicited from the HMSA Program Advisory Board and the HMSA Alumni Association.

In designing the curriculum, the faculty has been responsive to the expressed needs of senior health care executives for well-prepared graduates to fill entry level and middle management positions in the health care industry. The program is also designed to prepare graduates for future leadership roles in the health care field. This is accomplished by a sound curriculum that synthesizes management concepts and techniques applicable to any organization and skills that can be specifically applied to the health care industry.

The program provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable field experience through clerkships, residency projects or applied research. Offered in the evening and on weekends, the program is designed especially for the part-time learner - the person who is currently employed but has not had graduate education in health care management.

Program of Study (Prior to Fall 2006) 
For the newly revised MBA-Health Care Management Concentration please see http://www.widenermba.com

The requirements for the HMSA concentration in the M.B.A. degree program are as follows:

Core Curriculum

Students who lack an adequate foundation in economics, accounting, finance, statistics, management information systems, or quantitative methods may be required to take some of the following foundation courses:

Courses semester hours ACCT 500 Accounting Concepts 3 EC 500 Principles of Economics 3 FIN 502 Financial Management 2 MGT 552 Operations Management 2 QA 500 Mathematical Analysis: Algebra and Calculus 3 QA 501 Fundamental Statistics for Business and Economics 3 Total 16

Any of the six foundation courses above may be waived on the basis of prior academic work. Students not exempted may seek waivers through a challenge examination in the specific area. These courses are in addition to the 40 semester hours for the HMSA concentration in the M.B.A. program. 

Sequence of Courses

Learning by Experience

The Clerkship

The clerkship program consists of a series of weeknight or Saturday morning site visits/presentations and is a degree requirement for all students in the M.B.A. program. The clerkship program is designed to expose students to a variety of organizations in the health care industry and alternative career opportunities. There are four clerkship sessions scheduled per year: two during the fall semester and two during the spring semester. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the clerkship requirement during the first year after matriculation.

Students may request a waiver from one or more clerkship sessions if they meet one of the following criteria:

1. They currently work in the organization to be visited, or
2. they have at least two years work experience in a setting similar to the organization to be visited.

The following types of organizations are typically included in the clerkship program:

• community health organization
• continuing care retirement community
• health care system
• managed care organization
• physician group practice

Management Development Options

The Management Development Options provide opportunities for students to apply classroom learning and demonstrate management skills in local health care organizations. Students may choose between two alternatives:

• An applied research project focused on a management problem. (This option would be most appropriate for students who have some management experience.)

• An administrative residency similar to an administrator-in-training program. (This option would be most appropriate for students without any management experience.)

Both options may be completed with the student’s current employer or another health care company on a full or part time basis. Students in both options will work with an HMSA faculty advisor and an on-site management preceptor. Students with significant management experience may be eligible to waive the Management Development requirement.