School of Health Professions 2019 - 2020 Catalog

Graduate Certificate in Health Systems Engineering and Management (CRHE)

Program Description

A Graduate Certificate in Health Systems Engineering and Management (CRHE) is available for working professionals who would like to expand their knowledge and further their education in health systems engineering and management without pursuing a full graduate degree in healthcare administration. It is a fully online, 12-semester hour program.

Admission to the Program

The CRHE certificate program begins three times a year, in the Summer, Fall and Spring. The application period will open on January 1st for Summer and Fall and on August 1st for Spring. The deadline for the receipt of the application, supporting documentation, and application fee is April 1st for Summer, July 1st for Fall and December 1st for Spring.

Application Process

To be considered for admission, applicants must have one of the following qualifications:

  1. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a minimum overall GPA of 2.7 or minimum overall GPA of 2.7 in the last 60 semester hours of courses, OR

  2. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5, AND at least three years of professional or executive work experience, OR

  3. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5, AND at least 9 semester hours of graduate education from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0, OR

  4. Graduate degree from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 2.7.

The following are considered in the admissions process:

  • All official college transcripts
  • Acceptable grade point average
  • Professional healthcare or executive experience

Applications may be submitted at anytime; however, applications are considered approximately 3 months prior to the beginning of each term. It is in the best interest of the applicant to apply as early as possible. Applicants should understand that fulfillment of the basic requirements does not guarantee admission.

CRHE Curriculum

Students admitted to the CRHE program will be required to complete 12 semester credit hours with passing grades and a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better to meet the certificate requirements.


REQUIRED COURSES
HPHA 5306      Healthcare Delivery System
HPHA 5321      Healthcare Operations & Supply Chain Management
HPHA 5322      Quality, Patient Safety, and Risk Management
HPHA 5324      Health Systems Engineering


  • HPHA 5306 Healthcare Delivery System (3:6:0,O)

    This course provides an introduction to healthcare services, offering students an overview of the U.S. healthcare delivery system and the important components of the system. The course will examine the healthcare delivery system broadly and explore contemporary issues affecting the institutions that provide healthcare and are designed to protect the health of the American public. The course will cover the historical development of the U.S. healthcare system, the changing roles of healthcare providers, major health programs, determinants of health, disparities in health, and healthcare finance. The goal of the course is to provide students with the necessary skills to be effective participants in efforts to improve the U.S. healthcare system.

  • HPHA 5321 Healthcare Operations & Supply Chain Management (3:6:0,O)

    This course examines operational issues in healthcare management. Healthcare operations topics include systems analysis, forecasting, facility location and design models, decision analysis techniques, inventory control, CQI and statistical quality control. The course also integrates key components of supply chain management, including strategic sourcing and purchasing, acquisition, logistics, inventory management, and point of use applications, providing understanding, knowledge and evaluation models to operate and manage an organization's enterprise resource planning and management system.

  • HPHA 5322 Quality, Patient Safety, & Risk Management (3:6:0,O)

    This course introduces the concepts of health care risk and quality management and how these domains go hand in hand with patient safety. Class work addresses the major elements of risk management program including claims management, risk financing, risk reduction, and emergency preparedness. A "systems" approach to health care quality is provided including performance improvement methodologies, tools and strategic initiatives to address continuous quality improvement. Appropriate standards, laws, and regulatory requirements are covered with special emphasis on compliance with Joint Commission accreditation.

  • HPHA 5324 Health Systems Engineering (3:3:0,O)

    This course examines healthcare operations from a systems perspective. Systems modeling and system design concepts will be considered in the design and operationof healthcare systems. Key healthcare systems that focus on patient flow, patient safety, capacity planning, inventory management and supply chain management, and staffing are considered. In designing and operating healthcare facilities it is also important to consider how different parts of the system interact with one another and to consider how changes made to one part of a system can have unintended consequences on other parts of the system. This course also considers key aspects of change management and challenges of implementing process improvement.