Master of Science in Population Health Management
Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences
School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Projected Start Date: Fall 2018
Accreditation Requirement: Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
Dean’s Confirmation and Signature:
I approve of this letter of intent proposal and the related financial commitments.
Sincerely,
Craig Blakely
Dean
School of Public Health and Health Information Sciences
1. Program Abstract
The Master of Science in Population Health Management (MSPHM) is a two-year graduate degree for those interested in careers in healthcare organizations as experts in population health management. Students entering the program become early careerists within the healthcare industry. This degree replaces the Master of Public Health (MPH) concentration in Population Health Management (PHM).As major policy reforms propel widespread disruption across the entire healthcare delivery system, the Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences (HMSS) recognizes the need to train and educate a broad cadre of skilled leaders to meet immediate and critical organizational and system-wide challenges.
To test the validity of this view, HMSS and School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS) leadership interviewed Louisville’s health care industry community leaders to conduct a competitive market and demand assessment. These were detailed sets of interviews with health care executives in hospital and clinical settings across the Louisville metro-area. The assessment provided a probative analysis of existing graduate degree programs geared toward leadership development of mid-career health care professionals.
The principal conclusions of the assessment included: 1) there is a viable and growing market for graduate programs in health care delivery leadership for experienced mid-career professionals, 2) University of Louisville has a recognized brand that is well positioned to differentiate as a recognized academic institution, 3) there is a high demand for a program geared toward professionals that understand population health management and value-based payment models, and 4) that the MPH concentration in PHM was not meeting those needs.
2. Linkage with Mission and Strategic Plan
The University of Louisville’s mission statement emphasizes pursuit of excellence in five interrelated strategic areas: (1) Educational Experience, (2) Research, Creative, and Scholarly Activity, (3) Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, and Communication, (4) Partnerships and Collaborations, and (5) Institutional Effectiveness of Programs and Services. This proposed MSPHM degree program reinforces our commitment to advancing our mission and is a logical outgrowth of many of the programs and activities that are already in place. We believe we are well positioned to deliver this curriculum because of our established educational platform in SPHIS; direct access to leaders in population health and health care reform; the strength and status of our HMSS and SPHIS faculty; andour close and collaborative relationships with the Louisville-metro health care industry that will provide financial resources and student access to create a degree program second to none.
The proposed HMSS MSPHM degree will be the only of its kind accredited by CAHME. Healthcare is currently transitioning from volume-based to value-based ways of reimbursing for services and most health care organizations are struggling with these concepts. UofL will be uniquely positioned to become the source for healthcare managers with the expertise to thrive within this new delivery environment. Just recently the American Medical Association called for the requirement of population health management training for medical school training, thus opening the potential market for the MSPHM degree even further.
3. Need
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook has identified the increasing “baby boomer” health care needs as driving higher demand for the health management occupation. From 2010 – 2020, growth in this occupation is expected to be 22%. It is anticipated that the growth in this field will be a faster growth rate than all occupations (14%) and management occupations (7%). Those employed as health managers mean pay in 2010 was $84,270.
The Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) is the accrediting body for graduate programs in health management in the United States. There are currently no CAHME accredited programs for working professionals in Kentucky. The local working professional health management degree offerings are all within non-CAHME accredited programs and exist in various delivery formats, although most are online programs. The proposed HMSS MSPHM Program is being designed at the onset to be CAHME accredited within the minimum timeframe that is allowed by the accrediting body. Indiana University, University of Kentucky, University of Memphis, and Xavier University offer traditional day Master of Health Administration (MHA) Programs that are CAHME accredited, but do not meet the needs of the working mid-career professional.
Business schools (including those at University of Louisville and University of Kentucky) offer executive programs with health care concentrations and there are many online degree options available to mid-career professionals. None of these programs are CAHME accredited within the market area. In addition, business schools typically provide excellent general business skills, but do not provide the context specific skills that health care managers will need if they want to understand quality management, population health, community assessment, and health care contextual issues (e.g., health policy, health insurance, and health care finance) that impact the delivery of care in health care organizations.
Table 1 identifies the organizations that were contacted about this proposed degree offering. Given the emphasis of the HMSS MSPH Program on working professionals, it follows that all the organizations interviewed were extremely enthusiastic about a potentially new CHAME accredited MSPHM Program at the University of Louisville. This is seen in the Louisville health industry community as a weakness in the educational offerings within the marketplace. Their employees need the training and high-quality health management programs require a commitment to allow their employees to travel sometimes great distances to earn their health management degrees. The proposed HMSS MSPHM would solve this problem.
Table 1 – Organizations Interviewed About New HMSS MSPHM Degree Program
Name of Organization / Supportive?Baptist Health System / Yes
Christian Care Communities / Yes
Humana / Yes
KentuckyOne Health System / Yes
Kindred Health System / Yes
Norton Health System / Yes
Passport Health System / Yes
Five-year enrollment projections
Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4 / Year 5Full-Time / 13 / 28 / 35 / 40 / 40
Part-Time / 1 / 2 / 2 / 2 / 2
Projected tuition revenue ($$)
Tuition projection calculations
These projections are based on our historical experience with the MPH PHM enrollment. The MPH PHM started with five enrolled students and grew to 13 after its first year. We conservatively believe that admitting 20 students a year by year three is a realistic projection. In addition, we expect the MSPHM to be accredited by CAHME during year 3 and this will further drive enrollment numbers higher. Finally, there is generally one part-time student enrolled in our MPH PHM Program and we expect that trend to continue.
4. Education Program
Admissions requirements – Prospective students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or its equivalent. It is recommended that applying students have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants need to complete the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Students with terminal degrees (e.g., PhD, MD, JD) do not need to submit GRE or GMAT scores. Students with four years or more experience in health care organizations do not need to submit GRE or GMAT scores. In addition:
- Graduate application submitted to the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies (SIGS). Website:louisville.edu/graduate/
- Non-refundable application fee
- At least two letters of recommendation written within past twelve months (submitted with form at
- Submission of GRE or GMAT scores to SIGS
- All postsecondary transcripts (requires foreign credential evaluation if not from accredited U.S. institution)
- Statement of career goals
- If candidate’s primary language is not English, one of the following:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam with a minimum score of 250 (after conversion for test type)
- Passing the exit examination for the advanced level of the Intensive English as a Second Language Program at the University of Louisville
- Degree from an accredited U.S. institution
Graduation requirements – students must successfully complete the 55 credit hour curriculum and earn a passing grade in the MSPHM Capstone Course.
New courses to be developed – the following courses will be developed for the MHA Program (new courses in bold and number of credits indicated):
Fall Year 1Course Name / Credits / New Course?
Project Management for Population Health / 2 / Yes
Introduction to Health Systems / 3 / No
Population Health Quantitative Methods / 2 / Yes
Population Health Information Management / 2 / Yes
Health Management Leadership Seminar / 1 / No
Introduction to Epidemiology / 2 / No
Spring Year 1
Course Name / Credits / New Course?
Healthcare Marketing / 2 / Yes
Population Health Operations Management & Science / 3 / Yes
Health Policy & Analysis / 3 / No
Health Finance and Financial Management / 3 / No
Healthcare Quality Management / 3 / Yes
Summer Year 1
Course Name / Credits / New Course?
MSPHM Practicum / 1 / Yes
Fall Year 2
Course Name / Credits / New Course?
Insurance and Alternative Payment Models / 2 / Yes
Managerial Accounting for Healthcare Managers / 3 / Yes
Healthcare Strategic Management / 2 / Yes
Health Economics / 3 / No
Governance and Management of Healthcare Organizations / 3 / No
MSPHM Practicum / 1 / Yes
Spring Year 2
Course Name / Credits / New Course?
Health Law and Ethics / 3 / No
Population Health Management / 3 / No
Human Resource Management / 3 / No
MSPHM Practicum / 1 / Yes
MSPHM Capstone Course / 3 / Yes
Distance education plan: Courses will be taught in person after 4:00 PM Monday – Thursday. This is to accommodate students that will be employed within healthcare organizations while completing their degree. There are no distance education plans for the curriculum.
Potential for collaboration with other units – there is great potential for collaboration with the College of Business, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, School of Medicine, and the J.B. Speed School of Engineering.
5. Financial Resources and Program Impact
Funding resources
Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4 / Year 5General Funds (internal reallocation)
Grants
Gifts
Faculty workload
There is no additional impact on faculty workload since HMSS is replacing the MPH PHM Program with the MSPHM Program.
6. New Resource Requirements
No additional resources will be required to operate the MSPHM Program. Resources used by the MPH concentration in PHM will be transferred to the new degree program.