Health_administration

The Master of Health Administration (MHA)—also Master of Healthcare Administration, or Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA)—is a graduate professional degree that provides training in health policy, economics, project and program implementation. The degree program is designed to give graduates of health disciplines (in particular) greater understanding of management issues and prepare them for senior management roles, and is awarded by many American, European and Australian universities. The degree traditionally focuses on health administration at the local, state, and federal level as well as in the nonprofit sector. This contrasts with the general Master of Business Administration or the Master of Public Administration degrees.

Over time, there has been a convergence between the MHA and the Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees, due to the realization that policy/project/program implementation could benefit from an understanding of health policy analysis, and vice versa. Today, the course offerings of many MHA and MPH programs are similar, with many common subjects.

General

Programs are intended to provide students with the essential knowledge required for senior managerial and planning work in the health services. The objectives of the program are to develop graduates who are: competent general and financial managers, competent planners, knowledgeable about public health and the structure, organization and financing of health care systems, knowledgeable about society, law and ethics, and competent in quantitative skills.

In most countries, applicants are required to hold minimum a three-year undergraduate degree and have a minimum period of professional experience in the health system. The curriculum, however, varies between universities.

United States

In the United States, applicants are required to hold a four-year undergraduate degree prior to enolling in the MHA program. Some universities offer dual MHA/MBA degree programs to be completed concurrently. Some MHA programs do not require professional experience prior to enrollment, but often require an essay and interview as part of the admission process. Some MHA programs use 50% online and 50% lecture allowing working individuals to continue working and pursue the MHA to completion in approximately two years. An example of the new MHA format is found in the US at Clayton State University. There are other universities who offer MHA programs completely online however, most of them do not offer CAHME accreditation.

Australia

In Australia the Master of Health Administration (MHA) may be divided in two parts; the first part awards a postgraduate diploma of Health Service Management, and, depending on the outcome, diplomates may be permitted to continue to the second part which culminates in the MHA degree. Course structures, and may be either research or coursework based. The Master of Health Administration is considered the benchmark qualification by the Australian College of Health Service Executives [1]. Unlike elsewhere, the MHA is not intended primarily for medical practitioners (who have courses provided by their professional organisations) but is open to graduates of any discipline wishing to pursue a career in health administration. Owing the the wide variety of course nomenclature in Australia, some Universities offer the course as a Master of Business(Health Administration), abbreviated to MBus(Hlth).

See also

• Upsilon Phi Delta
• Bachelor of Science in Public Health

External links

• Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). - The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) has been granted formal recognition by the U.S. Department of Education. CAHME is the only organization recognized to grant accreditation to individual academic programs offering a professional master\'s degree in healthcare management education in the United States and Canada. The list of CAHME accredited programs can be found here: Accredited Programs : By Name.

• The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA). - The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is a not-for-profit association of university-based educational programs, faculty, practitioners, and provider organizations. Its members are dedicated to continuously improving the field of healthcare management and practice. AUPHA\'s membership consists of the 160 best programs in healthcare management. Membership in AUPHA is tied to the pursuit of program accreditation at the graduate level and undergraduate certification at the bachelors degree level. Thus, AUPHA can ensure that its members represent the premier programs in the world.

• Upsilon Phi Delta. - The national academic honor society for students in healthcare administration. It is administered by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) in the United States.

• Masters Degrees in Health Administration. - Guide to programs predominantly provided in the United States offering masters degrees specifically in health administration (MHA), or business administration (MBA), and public health (MPH) degrees with a major in health administration.

• US News and World Report Health Services Administration Rankings. - Rankings of the Nation\'s Best Graduate Schools in the discipline of Health Services Administration according to US News and World Report.

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