B.S. in Healthcare Management

Walden University offers students a dynamic learning environment and a range of support services to ensure academic success. In this course, students immerse themselves in Walden University's online learning environment and apply skills from the student readiness orientation. In addition, students discover and apply the tools and services that will support them throughout their degree program. Through classroom discussions and the application of key communication principles, students establish an online community of peers and explore their degree program with discipline-specific examples. This course helps students prepare for their Walden academic career and continues their orientation to the university.

Initiatives to prevent illness and promote healthy lifestyles are often more effective and cost efficient than efforts to intervene or treat disease, which is why health promotion is an increasingly popular trend in the field of healthcare. In this course, students formulate a definition of health and discuss the many influences that shape our individual and collective perceptions of health. Students consider the health-wellness continuum, including a number of factors, such as behavioral, demographic, psychological, and social forces. They also examine evidence-based methodologies for interventions to promote health and enhance wellness, and they evaluate health information found online to determine credibility and accuracy. Additionally, students reflect on ways to shape their future career in health and to promote positive change. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

Effective advocacy through politics, policy, and professional associations is one method of improving healthcare delivery in the United States; however, effective advocacy depends on individuals who fully understand current issues, systems, existing policies, and related contexts. In this course, students engage in a systems-level analysis of the implications of healthcare policy on issues of access, equity, affordability, and social justice in healthcare delivery. They examine legislative, regulatory, and financial processes relevant to the organization and provision of healthcare services. Students also assess the impact of these processes on quality and safety in the practice environment and disparities in the healthcare system. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

This course focuses on the principles governing the study and practice of epidemiology. Consideration is given to the various methods available to health professionals for selecting and measuring factors of interest, describing their distribution, detecting associations, and identifying populations at risk. The features, advantages, and limitations of common epidemiologic research designs are addressed. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001 and MATH 1002/1030 or STAT 3001.)

This course examines the basic components required for the conduct of health-related research and provides students with the analytic tools needed to understand and assess research methods described in the scientific literature. Basic research methods are described, including surveys, observational studies, experimental and quasi-experimental design, use of primary and secondary data, and statistical techniques for analyzing and interpreting data. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

Many factors influence the health behavior and wellness of individuals and populations. Understanding these factors helps healthcare professionals reduce health disparities and address healthcare access issues for vulnerable populations. Students in this course examine the cultural and behavioral factors and issues that influence the management and delivery of healthcare services. Students develop a framework for assessing the effect of culture and behavior in a variety of settings and situations. They identify health disparities attributable to diverse cultural and behavioral factors and discuss their implications for healthcare policy. Students also engage in application-based writing assignments to further examine the goals and objectives of addressing health disparities as well as obstacles for confronting vulnerable populations. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

This course provides students with an overview of the effects of aging on health and development across the entire human lifespan. Students examine the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive milestones in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age, with a particular emphasis on the significant changes that occur toward the end of life. Students engage in weekly discussions on various scenarios related to socioemotional development as well as on topics such as attitudes on aging, environmental risk factors, and cognitive development. Demonstrating knowledge and synthesizing course concepts, students critically analyze a specific socioemotional issue and explain how it manifests in the various developmental stages. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

Health professionals often use information technology to make important clinical and managerial decisions related to services and processes in healthcare. Students in this course examine information technology that supports the collection, storage, retrieval, and communication of data; information systems safeguards; ethical and legal issues; and information management to promote patient safety and quality of care. They also explore information literacy, basic hardware and software concepts, and fundamental software applications, including spreadsheets and healthcare databases. Applying course concepts, students plan for the development of a database, explain their chosen database design, and describe potential challenges in implementing their system. Students also have the opportunity to review and analyze current events about health topics addressed in the course. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

The nature of health services, such as personal evaluations, clinical research, invasive surgeries, and end of life care, facilitates a host of ethical and legal considerations of which professionals must be aware. In this course, students examine the legal and ethical issues that are fundamental to the practice of healthcare and the conduct of health-related research. They explore a historical overview of events and milestones that have shaped the contemporary regulatory landscape. They also investigate and assess issues of privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, licensing, and malpractice, among others. Additionally, students consider ethical, decision-making models for assuring the quality, safety, and appropriateness of healthcare and services. They also apply ethical principles and legal considerations to real-world scenarios. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

This course introduces students to a patient-centered interdisciplinary model for healthcare delivery in which individual practitioners collaborate as members of a team. The benefits of such an approach for patients and providers with emphasis on improved outcomes will be examined. Potential obstacles and institutional barriers such as delineation of responsibilities, reimbursement, and licensing are also considered. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

This course will examine major issues in acute and long-term healthcare policy and practice from the perspective of the patient and the provider. Topics include access, affordability, insurance, quality, safety, and technology. Special consideration will be given to the social, institutional, economic, and regulatory contexts in which services are delivered. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

This course presents management concepts and theories designed to influence and improve the performance of healthcare organizations. The external and internal environments of organizations are identified, as well as key management functions, roles, and responsibilities. Essential aspects of healthcare management are addressed. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001.)

An introduction to accounting, students in this course take a top-down approach to understanding introductory accounting documents and procedures by exploring a business’s financial statements, including the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Students explore the practical uses for information that can be gleaned from these statements, individually and as a whole, through a detailed examination of the properties and characteristics of each statement. Students engage in application assignments and discussions on a variety of topics, such as regulations that should be followed when preparing financial statements as promulgated by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Students examine the U.S. use of GAAP in comparison to the use of International Financial Reporting Standards. (Prerequisites: BUSI 1001 or 1002, and MATH 1001, 1002, 1030, or 1040.)

This course focuses on the theories of behavior of healthcare organizations at the macro (organization-wide) level and micro (individual and team performance) level. Factors that influence an organization’s behavior, as well as performance, including the role of culture, group processes, and interactions are considered. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001 and HLTH 4000.)

This course provides the foundations for economic evaluation and financial management in delivery of healthcare services, including principles of supply and demand. The purpose and methods of financial reporting, such as financial statements and balance sheets, are explained. Financial risk and insurance principles and mechanisms for healthcare reimbursement, including Medicare, Medicaid, and other payor programs are presented. The course also explores the financial, political, and economic aspects of universal healthcare. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001, HLTH 4000, and ACCT 1003 or MATH 1030.)

This course focuses on major quality and safety issues within healthcare organizations. Methods of assessing quality and techniques for improving quality are considered, as well as opportunities for preventing adverse and never events with attention given to the 5 Million Lives Campaign. Current requirements for reporting indicators of quality and pay-for-performance initiatives to reward quality are addressed. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001 and HLTH 4000.)

This course presents key concepts related to strategic planning, including the relationship of the plan to the organization’s mission, values, and vision. Students will be introduced to assessment techniques and methodologies for evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) for a healthcare organization. The relationship between strategic planning, marketing, and organizational performance will be considered. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001 and HLTH 4000.)

Healthcare organizations are able to provide quality care to patients only when their workforce is productive, satisfied, organized, and well-trained. Organizations rely on the human resource (HR) department to provide employees with support, while focusing on the needs and goals of the organization. Students in this course explore and discuss the role of HR in healthcare organizations as related to the recruitment, retention, and management of the healthcare workforce. They examine workforce development models, employee benefits, and compensation strategies. Students also explore methods used by HR professionals to develop goals and expectations for evaluating employee performance and promoting effective employee relations, and they investigate HR problem-solving strategies, such as conflict resolution, collective bargaining, and arbitration methods. Through application-based activities, students analyze effective development of position descriptions; assess practices of hiring based on organizational fit; gain real-world insight on strategies of successful organizations; and develop plans for attaining long-term professional goals. (Prerequisites: COMM 1001 and HLTH 4000.)

The capstone provides an opportunity for students to synthesize the knowledge and skills gained from the program of study through a written paper or project. (Prerequisites: All prior health core and concentration courses completed. This course must be taken in the student’s final quarter.)