Course Descriptions
Health Care Administration
HCA 7200
Healthcare Informatics
3 credits
This course provides healthcare administration students with advanced knowledge of health information systems, data management, and informatics tools essential for evidence-based healthcare delivery. Healthcare is increasingly digital and data-driven, requiring healthcare leaders who integrate business and informatics and can effectively communicate data to diverse stakeholder groups. Students examine the design, selection, implementation, and optimization of Electronic Health Records (EHR), Hospital Information Systems (HIS), databases, and enterprise health IT infrastructure. Emphasis is placed on practical and strategic applications including interoperability standards (HL7, FHIR), health information exchanges, workflow integration, system evaluation, and the strategic role of health informatics in supporting evidence-based practice, improving clinical outcomes, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring regulatory compliance.
HCA 7300
Business Finance in Healthcare
3 credits
This course is designed with the non-financial manager in mind and will allow students to develop the financial skills necessary to evaluate proposed business projects, analyze organizational performance, and apply finance and accounting principles with confidence. The focus will be on types of healthcare and business formations, interpreting financial statements, key performance indicators, profit vs. loss, business planning, operational planning and budgeting, and financing. Examples and applications will emphasize healthcare organizations and allied health services while viewing healthcare as a business enterprise.
HCA 7400
Healthcare Leadership
3 credits
This course presents both classical and modern perspectives on healthcare organizations, exploring the evolving roles of healthcare managers as leaders and agents of change. Students will be introduced to organizational theory and design, which serve as foundational tools for understanding how healthcare policies are implemented within organizational structures. This course emphasizes design concepts that impact employee motivation, interpersonal relationships, group dynamics, leadership, teams, culture, ethics, and global challenges in today's changing healthcare environment.
HCA 7500
Strategy Decision Making for Healthcare Leaders
3 credits
This course provides the framework for health care leaders making organizational decisions in a disciplined and strategic way. Students will evaluate contributions and limitations of the various schools of strategy while utilizing various decision-making theories and practices. Students will diagnose strategic positions, evaluate alternative courses of action in a wide range of decision-making situations, and make the best decisions based on their objectives. Explores the role of strategy and its creative use through the various schools of strategic design that include planning, analysis, visionary processes, mental and emergent processes, negotiation, and environment with health care organizations. Describe and discuss the contributions and limitations of the various schools of strategy and how strategy impacts health care organizations. In this course, students have the opportunity to develop an understanding of their strategic preferences, decision-making ability, and changing priorities as practicing managers and leaders in health care organizations.
HCA 7700
Seminar in Health Care Administration
3 credits
This course is a survey of the health service delivery system with an emphasis on its ethics and the evolving nature of the health care system in today’s global environment. Issues related to multi-health systems integration, physician/hospital organizations, and alternative delivery systems for the ageing population are explored. The impact of the health systems within other countries is examined for its effect on and contribution toward the United States health care system.
HCA 7720
Health Policy and Economics
3 credits
This course explores the relationship between the general economic environment and the health care system. A macroeconomic framework is used to examine issues related to the demand and supply for health services, reimbursement rates, and cost controls within the health sector.
HCA 7730
Health Insurance and Reimbursement
3 credits
This course focuses on existing and emerging insurance products in the health care system and the impact of these products upon provider arrangements. Risk sharing and contracting issues in managed care organizations, preferred provider networks, and integrated delivery systems are assessed.
HCA 7740
Legal Aspects in Health Care
3 credits
This course provides an understanding of ethical and legal issues inherent in the provision of health services. The course considers issues related to disclosure and confidentiality, provider relationships, exclusive contracts, restrictive covenants, and social issues such as the provision of uncompensated care.
HCA 7745
Marketing in the Health Care Sector
3 credits
This course explores the application of marketing theories to the health care industry. Issues related to the measurement of patient satisfaction, physician recruitment, and product development will be examined through case analysis and an applied research project focused on the utilization of various marketing strategies.
HCA 7900
Special Topics in Health Care Administration
3 credits
This course addresses different topics of interest in Health Care Administration. It is conducted in a seminar or symposium format where each student is an active and involved participant in the selection of topic questions and material to be covered. Topics might include organizational learning, women in leadership, adult learning, leadership and culture, re-engineering, or organizational resizing. The course may be used to meet part of the elective requirements for business degree programs.