Health Science 285

Syllabus and Introduction to Healthcare Administration

Welcome to Health Science 285 Online

Course Description

This course is the first and most important course in the Brigham Young University - Idaho Healthcare Administration curriculum. It is intended to provide a foundation for students anticipating a career in the management of healthcare provider organizations or for those students who desire to focus on the "Public Health" administration disciplines of policy and governmental healthcare issues.* [Please note that at the time of this writing, BYU Idaho foresees the requirement of this course for majors in both the public and the private sectors of the industry.]

You can expect, in this introductory course, to learn the structure of the healthcare industry and the way that it functions. You will learn the vocabulary, the jargon, and the myriad of acronyms that are part of communicating with your associates and peers in the healthcare industry. We have carefully crafted the content of this course to give you insights into career opportunities. With this content and that of the other core curriculum courses, you will be prepared to make a decision about (a) whether you want to continue your healthcare administration education in one of the master's degree programs that are available at other universities, or (b) whether you want to go directly into the workforce with your BS in either healthcare administration or public health administration. Both emphases are available to you through bachelor of science degrees at BYU - Idaho.

The content of this course mirrors the content of the face-to-face HS 285 course taught on campus, with one important difference-it will be more difficult for us to provide the breadth of mentoring opportunities via the online course, but we will work very hard with you to begin creating a network of contacts with industry professionals who can mentor you in important ways. We will also advise you about professional organizations like the American College of Healthcare Executives, the Healthcare Financial Management Association, and the Medical Group Management Association, that can assist you in many ways as a student of healthcare administration and later as a professional in the industry.

Course Outcomes

  1. Students will know the history and structure of the healthcare industry in the United States.
  2. Students contemplating a career in healthcare administration will know where and how to enter and participate in it:
    • With a bachelor's degree, or
    • Through a graduate school portal
  3. Through site visits to or by local healthcare provider organizations, students will meet professionals and gain perspective on what working in the industry is like.
  4. Students will develop critical thinking about current healthcare issues and concerns.
  5. Students will research and present to their peers on a topic selected in collaboration with the instructor. Depending on the number of students enrolled, this presentation assignment may be individual or your instructor may assign you to work with a team of fellow students.
  6. Nursing and other allied healthcare professionals will receive training that will prepare them for supervising/management opportunities within their non-administrative careers.

Course Texts and Materials

The textbook used in this course is provided to you and has been placed in I-Learn.

Weekly Time Commitment

The online class policy is that for every credit hour, you should expect to spend 3 hours of work per week. According to this policy you will spend about 9 hours a week on this course.

Group Presentations

This is a collaborative research project and presentation effort. To complete this project, you are welcome to use online sources, printed sources, and personal contacts.-Your grade for this project will be determined by:

  1. The quality and completeness of your research
  2. The accuracy of your information and/or data
  3. The quality of your PowerPoint/multimedia presentation
  4. Presenting on schedule and within the time limit

Group Presentation Topics

You will be assigned one of the following topics for your Group Presentation. Note that the report topics are scheduled in your Course Schedule and the Student Group Research Presentation instructions located in the first lesson of the course.

  1. The American Medical Association
  2. What is Osteopathic medicine?
  3. Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
  4. The Joint Commission
  5. Professional Organizations in the Healthcare Industry
  6. Advocacy Organizations in the Healthcare Industry
  7. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  8. CMS/Medicare/Medicaid
  9. HIPAA
  10. EMTALA
  11. Stark I and II Legislation
  12. Tort Law in Healthcare
  13. What is a Vertically Integrated Health Network?

PowerPoint Activities

The PowerPoint Activities are some of the most important in the course. Most of the information you will be learning is on these slides. Make sure you are diligent in studying them as they will be a large part of the time spent in this course.

Grading Policies

How do you maximize your performance in this course?

  1. In-class participation (participating in all online assignments and discussions):15% including study/preparation of documents assigned
  2. Quizzes and Bi-Weekly Surveys: 10%
  3. Exams and Tests - One mid-term exam and one final exam (16% each):50%
  4. "In-class" Report/Project:20%

You will NOT be graded on a curve. Each student will receive the value he/she earns by performing in the class.

Degree Information

Internships

For this major, you are required to complete an Internship before graduation. Here is some information to start thinking about:

Degree Options and Descriptions

Resources

If any technical difficulties arise throughout the course, contact the Online Support Center before contacting the instructor.

Online Student Support Center

The Online Student Support Center is available to help students with problems in online courses. If you have technical difficulties or notice a problem in the course, please report this problem to the Online Student Support Center.

Online Student Support Center Contact Information

Phone: (208) 496-1411
Email: onlinelearning@byui.edu
Live Chat: Use the link below to access the Live Chat feature
Website: Online Student Support Center

Copyright

Materials on BYU-I I-Learn and related sites may be protected by US Copyright Law (Title 17, US Code). These materials are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

Additional Information

University Policies Academic honesty is required and any violation with be dealt with according to the University Academic Honesty Policy.

Policy on Sexual Discrimination/Harrassment Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an education program or activity that receives federal funds, including federal loans and grants. Title IX also covers student-to-student sexual harassment. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please contact the Personnel Office at (208) 496-1130.

Reasonable Accommodation for Students with Disabilities: Brigham Young University - Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere which reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office, (208) 496-1158. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by this office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures. You should contact the Personnel Office at (208) 496-1130.

Personal Conduct All of your correspondence with the teacher or other classmates must be respectful. Writing something disrespectful or "venting" is unprofessional and not becoming of a university student. In addition, it is not in accordance with the Honor Code of BYU - Idaho and you will be subject to discipline accordingly. You are invited to re-read the BYU - I Honor Code and the "Principles of Personal Honor." http://www.byui.edu/student-honor-office/ces-honor-code