Health Administration (HADM)

HADM 215. Introduction to Health Care Through a Policy Lens. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course will examine the four forces of power, policy, politics and payment as they have affected the health care sector in the past and will affect it in the future. It will explore how health care services are delivered, by whom, for whom and with what outcomes, as well as who pays for health care services, how and how much. Outcomes in the U.S. health care system will be compared to those in other wealthy countries.

HADM 602. Health System Organization, Financing and Performance. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Examines the structure, functioning and financing of the U.S. health services system. Emphasizes foundational concepts for understanding and analyzing patterns of health and illness; health care cost, quality, access and utilization; workforce; competition in health care markets; and supplier, provider and payer effectiveness and efficiency.

HADM 603. Data Basecamp. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. Introduces students to academic and professional spreadsheet and business analytics skills. Topics include but are not limited to the entering of text, numbers and formulas; formatting; moving; copying; recalculation; retrieving; charting; saving; and printing with introductory coverage of data manipulation. The course will help students prepare analyses, tables and charts to assist with professional tasks and other VCU course work.

HADM 606. Health Care Managerial Accounting. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. A foundation course covering health care financial accounting, financial statement analysis, budgeting, reimbursement, costing and short-term decision-making. Emphasizes accounting concepts and using financial data in management of providers and payers.

HADM 607. Financial Management in Health Organizations. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HADM 606. Examines theory and techniques of corporate financial management as applied to health services providers and insurers including time value of money, working capital management, capital budgeting techniques, cash flow analysis and capital structure planning.

HADM 608. Seminar in Health Care Finance. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: HADM 606 and HADM 607. Advanced studies of financial issues and the application of analytic tools in case studies and exercises. Designed to enhance and strengthen the knowledge and skills provided in the graduate program's foundation and required courses in accounting and finance.

HADM 609. Population Health Management. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course introduces students to the core concepts, methods and tools of population health management and quality improvement. The focus is on applications and considerations for health care managers and administrators in the United States.

HADM 610. Health Analytics and Decision Support. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: undergraduate course in statistics. Applications of analytics and decision support to health services institutions. Applications of operations research and industrial engineering techniques using large institutional data for health care planning, control and decision-making including deterministic and stochastic decision analysis models and their use in health services administration.

HADM 611. Health Care Law and Bioethics. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Presents elements of law and legal principles as they apply to the administration of hospitals and health care systems. Emphasizes medical malpractice, medical-legal issues, informed consent, antitrust, health care business law and bioethics. Provides a legal foundation for the practice of health administration and clinical ethics through the use of case law and case analysis.

HADM 612. Information Systems for Health Care Management. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. This course is restricted to majors only. Introduces and applies basic vocabulary, foundational principles and practical strategies associated with information systems relevant to the health care administrator. Examines health care information and information systems, technology standards and security, as well as management challenges.

HADM 614. Health Care Marketing. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. Combines the theory of marketing with its practical application to today’s dynamic health care environment. This course provides students with an understanding of the marketing function, process and activities within health services organizations. In particular, the course provides opportunities for learning about the purpose of marketing, its role in achieving organizational performance, the activities involved in health care marketing, challenges in marketing health services and the development of marketing skills for managers of health services organizations. Students will develop a marketing plan for a health services organization.

HADM 615. Health Care Politics and Policy. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Examines the political process with particular emphasis on the impact of politics on health care. Focuses on current political issues in the health field, examining conflicts and anticipating effects on the health system.

HADM 620. Problem-solving in Health Care Organizations. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Enrollment is restricted to students in the Master of Health Administration program. This course teaches students how to apply systematic problem-solving techniques to develop strategic and financial solutions to common problems in health care organizations.

HADM 621. Advanced Medical Informatics: Technology-Strategy-Performance. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Focuses on use of technology for improving operational efficiencies, quality of care and market competitiveness. Explores various application technologies within the framework of technology-strategy-performance including: telemedicine, cyber surgery, Web-enabled clinical information systems, clinical decision support systems, artificial intelligence and expert systems, and risk-adjusted outcome assessment systems.

HADM 624. Health Economics. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Enrollment requires permission of the instructor. Develops an understanding of (1) economics as a managerial tool in making choices or decisions that will provide for an optimum allocation of limited health care resources and (2) economics as a way of thinking about and approaching issues of public policy in financing and organizing health and medical services. Individual research on crucial or controversial issues in the health care field.

HADM 626. International Health. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Provides an overview of and/or introduction to international health. Focus is on the relationship between external factors and the health of populations.

HADM 630. Sustainability, Health and Health Care. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture and 1 research hours (delivered online). 3 credits. This course will examine the issue of sustainability as it relates to the health care industry using a multidisciplinary lens, with a focus on solutions. Students will review what is known about the extent of climate change, its impact – both direct and indirect – on health, the distribution of that impact on different demographic groups, the economic and political actions that got us to this place, and the possible paths to a more stable climate future. Because the health care industry is heavily affected by climate change and is also a major contributor to it, most of the materials will specifically examine the impact on and the actions of this industry. The course will be primarily online, with no less than bi-weekly assignments and interactions. Reading materials and videos will be complemented by narrated slide presentations created by the instructor. Students will be expected to complete a number of written assignments, including some interaction on a discussion board. The major project for the course will be completed by students in groups, with an option for an individual project for students unable to participate in a group assignment. Students will meet with the instructor in the classroom at two points in the semester: a two-hour session in week one, and a session in the final week for groups to present the results of their projects. The number of hours for this session will be determined by the number of students and projects.

HADM 632. Applications of Sustainability, Health and Health Care. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 seminar hours (delivered online). 3 credits. Prerequisite: HADM 630. This course consists of independent design and implementation of a student-initiated project relating to some aspect of sustainability, health and health care. Guidance for the project will be provided by faculty and, where appropriate, a community partner. At the end of the course, students will be able to synthesize concepts from didactic courses, identify salient problems related to health equity, identify a project mentorship team and use the course framework to analyze problems, propose solutions and outline advocacy strategies.

HADM 638. Administration of Long-term Care Facilities and Programs. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Focuses on unique knowledge and skills considered essential to effective long-term care administration. Emphasis is on the professional role of the long-term care administrator in providing for the health and social needs of the chronically ill and elderly. Applied skills in addressing the technical, human and conceptual problems unique to LTC are addressed through cases and field exercises.

HADM 645. Structure and Functions of Health Organizations. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Surveys concepts from organizational and management theories applicable to health organizations. Considers issues in organizational structure, strategy and processes for health care organizations.

HADM 646. Health Care Organization and Leadership. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Explores the challenges of managing and leading health care organizations in the 21st century. Introduces concepts, vocabulary and ways of thinking to enable students to be more effective and insightful participants in organizational life in health care. Intended to provide the student with the basic knowledge necessary to benefit from the more detailed and advanced courses that follow in the curriculum.

HADM 647. Management of Health Care Organizations. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HADM 646. Analyzes the current state of management study and practice with the objective of achieving a balanced development of both knowledge and skills in solving the operations problems of health care institutions. Examines critically the managerial process; emphasizes leadership behavior and development, performance improvement, structure and purpose of health care organization subunits, interfunctional coordination, and organizational processes.

HADM 648. Strategic Management in Health Care Organizations. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: HADM 647. Integrative seminar on strategic decision making in health care organizations. Considers the concepts and alternative models of strategic management, the strategic management process and the evaluation of strategic decisions.

HADM 649. Human Resources Management in Health Care. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. This course addresses human resource topics from a management perspective, considering how human resource management can aid in developing a high-performance health care organization. This course provides the operations manager with a framework for human resource practice -- from identifying the role of strategic HR planning to operational implementation of HR strategies within the organization.

HADM 661. Physician Practice Management. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Provides a practical overview of management skills and tools necessary to assist a physician group with an efficient service delivery organization. Discusses issues in the larger health care business environment that affect physician professional practice and the operational factors that define a successful organization now and in the future.

HADM 662. Foundations of Health Equity. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to graduate students. This course provides an overview of the historical context and existing research on causes and impact of health disparities. The field of health equity focuses on understanding that all populations -- no matter their race, ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability status or geographical origin -- have equal opportunity to achieve and maintain a healthy life. The course is designed take an in-depth look at multiple populations impacted by health inequities. It explores the values and ethical framework that relate to health equity.

HADM 663. Reducing Health Disparities. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: HADM 662 or permission of instructor. Enrollment is restricted to graduate students. This course explores the current strategies used to reduce health disparities, including how health care organizations and public entities are funding efforts to address unconscious bias, patient-centered care and the social determinants of health, such as housing, food insecurity and environmental conditions, as well as increased access to health care as a means to reduce health disparities. It applies knowledge of existing strategies to critical-thinking models for further assessment. At the end of the course, students will be able to identify strategies to address unconscious bias and promote patient-centered care for themselves and colleagues; apply models of critical thinking to assess existing strategies; identify gaps left to be addressed; and begin to identify/crystalize the community partnership for their final health equity project.

HADM 664. Health Equity: Policy and Advocacy. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: HADM 662. Enrollment is restricted to graduate students. This course facilitates development of skills to understand and influence policy process. It applies advocacy skills to influence policies that affect health equity. At the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of policy process, identify policy leverage points, demonstrate the ability to advocate for policies that address health disparities and promote health equity, and further crystalize the community partnership for their final health equity project if applicable.

HADM 665. Applications of Health Equity. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisites: HADM 662; and HADM 663 or HADM 664; or permission of the instructor. Enrollment is restricted to graduate students. This course consists of independent design and implementation of a student-initiated project relating to some aspect of health equity. Guidance for the project will be provided by faculty and, where appropriate, a community partner. At the end of the course, students will be able to synthesize concepts from didactic courses, identify salient problems related to health equity, identify a project mentorship team and use the course framework to analyze problems, propose solutions and outline advocacy strategies.

HADM 681. Clinical Concepts and Relationships. 2 Hours.

Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. Introduces students without clinical backgrounds (nursing, medicine, other) to medical and health care terminology. Reviews and discusses concepts that are related to health, healing, health professions and the experience of the patient. Examines the role of health professionals; emphasizes communication, problem solving and patient care improvements across professional boundaries.

HADM 682. Executive Skills I. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Applied course in executive skills and behavior of the health care executive. Focus is on the health care executive leadership development and personal effectiveness.

HADM 683. Executive Skills II. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Prerequisite: HADM 682. Advanced applied course in executive skill development. Focus is on the health care executive leader and development of skills relating to the external environment of health care organizations. Emphasizes relationships with physicians, governing boards, regulatory bodies, donors and other key stakeholders.

HADM 690. Departmental Research Seminar. 1-9 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. Variable credit. Research seminar that focuses on research design and methods organized under a single topic or a series of related topics in health services research. Applied research training for master's-level students.

HADM 691. Special Topics in Health Services Organization and Research. 3 Hours.

3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Course is devoted to specialized content area for health administration. Examples include physician practice management and advanced managed care.

HADM 692. Independent Study in Health Administration. 1-3 Hours.

1-3 credits. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Special study conducted under the guidance of a faculty sponsor.

HADM 693. Internship in Health Administration. 3 Hours.

3 credits. Prerequisite: Completion of year one of the MHA curriculum. Restricted to dual-degree students (MHA/MD and MHA/JD). Assesses and examines administrative and organizational structures and cultures of the assigned site with perspectives from macro- and micro-organizational views. Students develop an understanding and gain knowledge of the complex health care industry and the internal and external factors that influence decision-making in the organization. Students will research and prepare a management project with recommendations to assist the organization in decision-making, policy development and/or performance improvement. Graded as S/U/F.

HADM 694. Practicum in Health Administration I. 5 Hours.

5 credits. Course is restricted to students completing a one-year administrative residency. Examines contemporary problems and issues in the organization, administration and evaluation of health services. Focuses on the application of alternative approaches to administrative problem solving. Emphasizes internal and external stakeholder interests and factors that influence decision-making in health care organizations. Graded as S/U/F.

HADM 695. Practicum in Health Administration II. 3-5 Hours.

3-5 credits. Course is restricted to students completing a one-year administrative residency. Students will examine contemporary problems and issues in the organization, administration and evaluation of health services. Focus on the application of alternative approaches to administrative problem solving. Course emphasizes internal and external stakeholder interests and factors that influence decision-making in health care organizations. Students design, conduct and present the results of a management project. Additional projects will be required for students enrolling in more than 3 credits. Graded as S/U/F.

HADM 697. Directed Research. 1-6 Hours.

Semester course; variable hours. Variable credit. Special course offered under the guidance of a faculty sponsor for one or more students to design and implement an applied research project in the field setting. Focuses on the application of research methods to policy or operational problems of health care institutions.

HADM 701. Organizational Behavior for Health Services Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: HADM 704 and HADM 705, or permission of instructor. Provides intellectual insights into central topics of micro organizational behavior. Requires critical evaluation of organizational behavior and health services research based on organizational behavior topics. Requires identification and application of organizational behavior theoretical perspectives to issues in the health sector.

HADM 702. Applied Theory and Methods for Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: HADM 701, HADM 704 and HADM 705, or permission of the instructor. Designed to enhance students’ abilities to apply theoretical and conceptual thinking in their research areas of interest, integrate theory with methodological approaches for a specific research question and clearly and effectively articulate their research plan. This course is intended for doctoral students in their final semester of course work (or similar) to support the development of a successful research or dissertation proposal, thus enrolled students are expected to have a working knowledge of social science concepts, key theories in their area of interest, and research design and methods.

HADM 704. Foundations of Health Service Organization Theory. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Examines the roots of foundational theories and concepts in organization theory and their application to research on health care organizations and systems. Emphasizes the environment and structure of health care organizations and systems.

HADM 705. Seminar in Health Services and Organizational Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Health services researchers and health services organizational researchers produce and consume research; these activities inform one another. This course focuses predominantly on the latter role, developing students’ abilities to be effective, critical consumers of health services research and health services organizational research, and cultivating an appreciation for this important role. An effective consumer is a critical thinker who can clearly explain and support why they concur or disagree with study rationale, design, analysis, interpretation and importance; can situate a study in the literature; assess its relevance and added value; and articulate its theoretical and practical implications for research, practice and policy. Being a sound, thoughtful consumer of research and information is important for successfully building knowledge and translating this knowledge to improve health and well-being and health organization effectiveness. This course also lays the foundation for how to begin to critically think, as well as to design and produce health services and health services organizational research. This class uses a combination of didactic and experiential learning, including lecture, reading, discussion, group work and written and oral exercises. Course readings and exercises use both classic and contemporary research.

HADM 711. Introduction to Health Services Organization Research I. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Open only to Ph.D. students in health services organization and research. Assists doctoral students in becoming members of the health services research community and developing skills to be successful researchers. Introduces students to health services research as a field, major databases for health services research, career paths and related ethical issues. Develops key foundational skills including database management, statistical software, grant applications and career development. First in a two-course sequence.

HADM 713. Introduction to Health Services Organization Research II. 1 Hour.

Semester course; 1 lecture hour. 1 credit. Open only to Ph.D. students in health services organization and research. Assists doctoral students in becoming members of the health services organization research community and developing skills to be successful researchers. Introduces students to health services organization research as a field, major databases for health services research, career paths and related ethical issues. Develops key foundational skills including management of frequently used health services organization research databases, statistical software, grant applications and career development. Second in a two-course sequence.

HADM 760. Quantitative Analysis of Health Care Data. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: MRBL 624 and HADM 609, or permission of instructor. Research course emphasizing computer application and statistical analyses of health care data generated from secondary sources, including data envelopment analysis.

HADM 761. Health Services Research Methods I. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Upper-division course in statistics. Research as a systematic method for examining questions derived from related theory and/or health service practice. Major focus is on the logic of causal inference, including the formulation of testable hypotheses relating to health services organization and management, the design of methods and measures to facilitate study, and the concepts, principles and methods of epidemiology.

HADM 762. Health Services Research Methods II. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: HADM 761 and MRBL 632, or equivalent. Application of multivariate statistical analysis and evaluation research methods to health services research. Emphasis is placed on the use of advanced statistical methods (e.g., LISREL, Event History Analysis) and designs to analyze panel data in the health field.

HADM 763. Applied Health Services Research. 3 Hours.

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: HADM 761 and ECON 501, or permission of instructor. Seminar for Ph.D. students who have had courses in quantitative analysis of health care data and research methods. Develops framework for classifying the major topics and issues addressed by health services research. Explores the relationships between health services research, policy analysis and program evaluation. Emphasizes assessment of the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of the health system at various levels of analysis. Stresses the importance of conceptual modeling as a foundation to rigorous empirical research.

HADM 792. Independent Study in Health Services Organization and Research. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 credits. Special study or research leading to a publication. Conducted under the guidance of a faculty sponsor.

HADM 793. Research Practicum. 1-3 Hours.

Semester course; 1-3 credits. Available only to second year students. Supervised investigation of selected problems in health services research. Includes conducting and analyzing field research.

HADM 898. Doctoral Dissertation in Health Services Organization and Research. 1-9 Hours.

Semester course; 1-9 credits. A minimum of 9 semester hours required for Ph.D. degree. Prerequisite: Completion of required course work and comprehensive examination. Dissertation research under direction of faculty adviser.

HADM 899. Doctoral Dissertation in Health Services Organization and Research. 1-9 Hours.

Semester course; 1-9 credits. A minimum of 9 semester hours required for Ph.D. degree. Prerequisite: Completion of required course work and comprehensive examination. Dissertation research under direction of faculty adviser.