Master of Science in Health Care Management (MS in HCM)

The Need for Management Skills in the Health Care Industry

 Dramatic changes are taking place in the health care industry.  The introduction of prospective payment systems, managed care, intensified competition among health care providers and other developments has transformed health care into a multi-billion dollar business in which costs, quality and access must be measured, balanced and managed competitively.

 Today, an evolving network of corporations, nonprofit agencies and entrepreneurs operates a great diversity of health services, including everything from hospitals and rtifical heart research programs to home health care services and health spas.  Both large and small health care organizations are introducing innovative management techniques such as the use of managed care specialists who provide comparative information to payers on hospital and physician performance.

 Along with a growing glut of physicians in certain urban areas and he increasing direct involvement of employers and insurers in cost containment efforts, these developments are forcing health care providers into more intense competition for the more than $1 billion per day that Americans are spending on health services.

 Although the use of medical knowledge and technology is higher than ever, dissatisfaction and frustration with medical care also are at an all-time high.  Consumers complain about excessive costs, low quality care and impersonal, dehumanizing treatment.  Hath professionals complain about irregular hours, overwork, stress, organizational constraints and lack of appreciation by both management and consumers.  Many are leaving some basic professions, notably nursing.  The integration of professionals into the system remains one of the major internal problems facing health care organizations. 

The effectiveness of any organization in responding to these problems and maintaining quality of services and cost competitiveness will depend largely on the quality of the solutions that organization can provide.  This, in turn, will depend on the training and ingenuity of health care managers as they implement and adapt modern business concepts and methods to the needs of the health care industry.

The Health Care Management Program

 Cal State L.A.ís Master of Science degree in Health Care Management (HCM) is designed to prepare people in the health care industry to meet the increasing demands placed on middle- and upper-level managers in large metropolitan health care facilities.  The program focuses on the transfer of knowledge and methods from business and other areas to the health care industry and on the most recent developments in health care delivery. 

Most students in the HCM program are practicing health professionals and middle-level managers who represent a broad spectrum of background experience and disciplines, including hospital and nursing administration, pharmacy, medical technology and business office management.  All of these fields require management and managers. 

A total of 45 quarter units is required, including at least 32 units in 500-level courses:

 Required Courses (28 units):