2013 Featured Report
Featured Online Health Services MBA Schools |
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Walden University - Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) - Healthcare Management
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Colorado Technical University - Master of Business Administration - Health Care Management
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Liberty University Online - Master of Business Administration - Healthcare Management
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Northeastern University - Master of Business Administration - Healthcare Management
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Strayer University - Masters - Business Administration: Health Services Administration Concentration
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WGU Indiana - MBA - Healthcare Management
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Western Governors University - MBA - Healthcare Management
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Saint Leo University Online - Master of Business Administration: Health Care Management
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University of Phoenix - Master of Business Administration - Health Care Management
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| 10. |
The George Washington University - Healthcare MBA
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| 11. |
Virginia College - Business Administration - Healthcare
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Walden University - Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) - Healthcare System Improvement
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| 13. |
Kaplan University - MBA - Health Care Management
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American InterContinental University - MBA - Healthcare Management
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| 15. |
Grand Canyon University - M.B.A.: Health Systems Management
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| 16. |
Brandman University - MBA in Business Administration - Health Risk Crisis Com
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An online Master of Business Administration in Health Services allows students to combine a business education with instruction on healthcare management in order to successfully bridge the two areas of interest. An MBA in health services teaches students about planning and implementing healthcare programs, hiring qualified personnel and evaluating services to ensure a high level of care for consumers.
MBA health services online programs provide students with insight into health policy, risk management, economics and managed care, in addition to a greater understanding of patients rights and medical ethics. The best health services MBA online programs will foster an interest in patient-centered healthcare, as well as educate students on the skills necessary to manage a healthcare team successfully.
Students interested in elements of public health, health policy and health management will find that the health services MBA online program matches their interests.
Some additional traits that are common in many online MBA health services students are:
The time it takes to earn a health services MBA degree online is comparable to the time it takes to earn other MBAs online. It typically requires two years of full-time education to finish. But, some business schools offer part-time or accelerated programs that give students the ability to earn the MBA at their own pace.
Accredited online MBA health services programs generally require students to have a bachelor’s degree before enrolling in the MBA program. While having an undergraduate degree in related fields such as business administration, human services, health services administration, and healthcare may be ideal for those considering enrolling in a good MBA health services online program, it is generally not required.
Many online MBA in health services programs also base admission on the following criteria:
In the first year of an accredited online Master of Business Administration in Health Services program, students will take introductory courses in health services, clinical care and healthcare accounting, in addition to traditional online MBA classes such as general accounting, financial management and marketing.
The second half of an online MBA in health services program will allow students to delve more deeply into specific areas of health services administration, which commonly include health policy, health economics, healthcare ethics, healthcare financial management and health informatics. Programs with the highest online health services MBA rankings may also require students to complete an internship in order to gain hands-on experience in a healthcare setting.
Many students enrolled in online health services MBA programs do an internship during the course of their studies. These internships can prove very important. Through them, students get an opportunity to put their knowledge into practical use. They also often make helpful business contacts.
For students interested in health services MBA careers, some on point books include:
1. Transforming Healthcare: Virginia Mason Medical Center’s Pursuit of the Perfect Patient Experience (Charles Kenney) – This book provides a case study analysis of what occurred when a Seattle hospital worked to improve patient outcomes by modeling its management methods on those used by the auto manufacturer Toyota.
2. On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry (John Toussaint) – Authored by a doctor and healthcare executive, this book uses case studies and research to offer students of health services MBA schools online a new way to think about healthcare management that may save money and lives.
3. Harvard Business Review on Fixing Healthcare from Inside & Out (Harvard Business Review) – An important book for health services managers, this volume offers a guide to healthcare best practices and introduces ideas for transforming the current healthcare system, including plans for organizing doctors into teams and focusing incentives on patient recovery outcomes.
4. Health Insurance: Navigating Traps & Gaps (Maura Loughlin Carley) – This guide to health insurance offers a consumer perspective on the most common and costly gaps present in the majority of health insurance policies, providing health services students a patient’s perspective on the need for improved health services.
5. Managed Care: What it is and how it Works (Peter R. Kongstvedt) – This book offers a history of the modern healthcare system, including the evolution of managed care and the popular push for a single-payer insurance system.
Graduates of top online health services MBA schools will have the opportunity to pursue careers in hospital administration, health services management and healthcare consulting, among other options. Over 303,000 medical and health service managers were employed in 2010, a number that is expected to increase. Common occupations for this degree, along with the corresponding health services MBA salary average, are as follows:
The job outlook for students graduating from online MBA health services programs is positive, with growth of up to 22% expected for health service managers by the year 2020 as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This increase is due in part to a growing senior population that will put increasing demands on health services. Students seeking employment after graduating from an MBA online health services program will likely be well-positioned to take advantage of the job growth in this area.
Many employers want graduates who have studied from a program that has been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. AACSB accredited health services MBA programs are thought to provide students with a quality education.