Full Course Description List:

HCAD Courses

3 credits

In the PhD in Healthcare Administration (PhD HA) Foundations course, students will examine various aspects of being a doctoral student. Students will be exposed to PhD HA program requirements, support resources, research requirements and healthcare administration professional domains. This course will also provide information about the dissertation process at Walden, including major benchmarks and expectations. Strategies for success will be discussed including time management using SMART goals. This course is required to be taken in the first term of the program for all students.

3 credits

In the PhD in Healthcare Administration (PhD HA) Foundations course, students will examine various aspects of being a doctoral student. Students will be exposed to PhD HA program requirements, support resources, research requirements and healthcare administration professional domains. This course will also provide information about the dissertation process at Walden, including major benchmarks and expectations. Strategies for success will be discussed including time management using SMART goals. This course is required to be taken in the first term of the program for all students.

5 credits

Healthcare is increasingly moving to the care and the delivery of services in a value-based care model. This course will describe and have students experience the impacts of delivery of healthcare in management care and value-based systems. Will also detail and develop knowledge in a system that is tiered for reimbursement and care bundles, how the US compares to other systems of health globally and include in impact of medical tourism.

Prerequisites:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011

5 credits

The focus of this course is on the analysis of quality and risk management trends, models, issues, and strategies. It begins with an examination of the differences between quality and risk in healthcare, as well as the interconnectedness of the two. Students will apply quality and risk management concepts to their selected HSO and use frameworks and models to perform critical analyses. The benefits of membership in professional healthcare associations are also discussed. Threaded throughout the course is the application of elements of an Integrative Review (IR), which is the basis of the DHA doctoral study. Through an analysis and appraisal of literature, students will evaluate quality and risk management issues and recommend strategies for improvement in a comprehensive final project..

Prerequisites:

PhD in Healthcare Administration Track I:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011

PhD in Healthcare Administration Track II:

• HCAD 8051
• HCAD 8501
• HCAD 8601
• HCAD 8301
• HCAD 8300

5 credits

In this course, students analyze the important operations that take place in healthcare services organizations (HSOs). Students examine HSO performance improvement tools, criteria, and frameworks. Transitioning from volume-to-value-based healthcare will be examined as well as the impact on the HSO. Students select one HSO type on which to focus. Within this HSO type, students interview an administrator on leadership, analyze the impact of operational problems on various stakeholders, examine metrics and data to improve performance, and apply process improvement tools to operational problems. Students utilize doctoral research skills to complete a poster project that will examine a current issue in HSO operations. Students also engage in networking activities to build professional peer contacts and further career opportunities.

Prerequisites:

PhD in Healthcare Administration Track I:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011

PhD in Healthcare Administration Track II:

• HCAD 8051
• HCAD 8501
• HCAD 8601
• HCAD 8301
• HCAD 8300

5 credits

In this course, students gain contemporary knowledge of economic principles such as efficiency and value as it relates to health care. The principles of healthcare financial management, including accounting and finance, are vitally important to the viability and ongoing operations of a healthcare entity. Students have the opportunity to interpret and analyze financial statements, use and analyze financial ratios, utilize variance analysis, understand and implement operating and capital budgeting, and develop knowledge of the business planning process. Students create portions of a business/financial plan and assess the viability of their plan using accepted financial management tools.

Prerequisites:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011

5 credits

The rapidly evolving healthcare system presents the healthcare administrator with complex challenges and risks. Healthcare administrators must possess the skills needed to assess federal, state, and local healthcare policies that frame the delivery of healthcare services. In this course, students assess and discuss key legal and ethical initiatives from diverse perspectives. Coursework focuses on required knowledge of health care laws, policies, and regulations enacted by policymakers and regulatory agencies that impact health care. This also includes comprehensive healthcare reform.

Prerequisites:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011

5 credits

In this course, students address the role of human resources in healthcare organizations, including the recruitment, retention, management, and development of these resources. Students gain an understanding of key roles that human resource professionals play in planning for workforce needs and how human resource management should be directly aligned with the strategic goals of the organization. Also, in this course, students examine organizational behavior and dynamics, as well as the roles and responsibilities of management within healthcare organizations. Students focus on understanding management and leadership principles to help navigate change. Students consider the theory and practice of managing individuals and groups through motivation, communication, teamwork, collaboration, leadership, organizational change, negotiation, and conflict management and resolution.

Prerequisites:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011

5 credits

In this course, students explore strategic management analyses and the application of systems thinking to healthcare administration. They apply broad analyses to examine external threats and opportunities and focused analyses to examine internal strengths and weaknesses. Students will use integrative analyses to synthesize the results of internal and external analyses and make recommendations for strategic actions. As a practitioner/scholar, students will use strategic recommendations to propose scholarly research related to healthcare services organizations.

Prerequisites:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011
• HCAD 8203
• HCAD 8103
• HCAD 8703
• RESI 8401

5 credits

This course prepares you for the dissertation phase of your education. Using a program-specific Prospectus Form, you will incrementally develop the elements of a feasible, aligned draft Prospectus Form. This will include an initial dissertation topic, supporting literature, problem statement, research question(s), and a relevant research design. The Final Assignment is to submit a complete draft of the Prospectus Form. This will be used to assign your dissertation committee who will work with you to further develop your Prospectus Form. 

Prerequisites:

• RESI 8402
• RSCH 8311 OR RSCH 8312
• HCAD 8503
• HCAD 8750 (may be concurrent)

5 credits

Students in this course will find that technology creates influences and innovations that are limitless. Leaders in effective healthcare systems understand how these influences effect the delivery of healthcare and can manage the change and have the leadership skills to use the influence as an organizational strength. Innovations are quickly changing the delivery of healthcare. Leaders not only need to be open to innovations within their organization they also need to adapt innovations with are external but influencing the care within the organization. Innovations and influences examples are studied in case-studies and professional analysis.

Prerequisites:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011

5 credits

To make informed decisions, healthcare administrators need to synthesize an abundant and wide variety of healthcare data. Students in this course are provided with techniques to utilize healthcare data and analytical tools needed to make critical decisions. This course helps students understand healthcare analytics so they can make data-driven decisions for the healthcare organization. Data mining, using operational data, methods for interpreting data, and the use of technology in the collection and application of data, are explored. Students apply data-driven decision-making skills to practical application through the use of contemporary and practical case studies. They also apply techniques for presenting data to stakeholders.

Prerequisites:

PhD in Healthcare Administration Track I:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011
• RESI 8401

PhD in Healthcare Administration Track II:

• HCAD 8051
• HCAD 8501
• HCAD 8601
• HCAD 8301
• HCAD 8300

5 credits

Healthcare administrators, more than ever before, are facing challenges and opportunities, given the dynamic nature of the healthcare industry. In this seminar-style course, students address how executive-level managers leading complex health systems can use strategic planning, risk management, and innovative business practices to take advantage of healthcare trends, as well as the current social and economic forces that guide strategic planning of healthcare systems. Students explore ways to improve Board of Director relationships, address financial challenges, and implement healthcare reform measures. As a result of this course, healthcare leaders are better able to visualize and address the quickly changing landscape of healthcare delivery per the guidelines outlined in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Students also have the opportunity to address the cultural issues that are present in the healthcare environment.

Prerequisites:

PhD in Healthcare Administration Track I:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011
• RESI 8402

PhD in Healthcare Administration Track II:

• HCAD 8006 OR HCAD 8011
• HCAD 8501 (may be concurrent)
• HCAD 8051 (may be concurrent)
• HCAD 8601 (may be concurrent)
• HCAD 8301 (may be concurrent)
• HCAD 8300 (may be concurrent)

5 credits

The final dissertation demonstrates students’ scholarly ability to examine, critique, and synthesize knowledge and experience, so that new ideas can be tested; best practices identified, established, and verified; and theoretical, practice, or policy constructs evaluated and advanced. Doctoral students have the opportunity to integrate their program of study into an in-depth exploration of an interest area, culminating in the completion of their dissertation research study in this course. Students complete the dissertation independently, with the guidance of a Supervisory Committee Chair and committee members. Students complete a Prospectus, Proposal, Institutional Review Board application, and a final oral presentation and written dissertation.

Note: When students register for this course, they will be registered automatically each Term until successful completion of the dissertation.

Prerequisites:

• RSCH 8361 OR RSCH 8362
• RESI 8403
• HCAD 8203
• HCAD 8103
• HCAD 8750
• HCAD 8703