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Health Care Management | Population Health Concentration | Graduate Degree Program

Health Care Management | Population Health Concentration

Ottawa University's accelerated, online MBA with concentration in Health Care Management program provides you with high-quality professional advanced study in business. Courses incorporate personal values and professional ethics. For maximum flexibility for working adults, our Business Administration degree program and courses are offered 100% online. Ottawa offers eight fully online MBA concentrations to help you personalize your graduate education.

Population Health/Health Care Management Concentration

Our online MBA students can now select the Health Care Management area of study. Population Health Management is a rapidly emerging specialty area within health care that is focused on improving the health status of defined populations. The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Health Care Reform, has mandated new models of care and financing that require entities to engage in the active management of populations that are “assigned” to them. These entities include traditional organizations, such as hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities. They also include newer organizational models, such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). 


Numerous career opportunities exist for professionals trained in Business who are knowledgeable in the design, implementation, and measurement of Health Care Administration programs and Health Care Systems. A clinical background is not required for this concentration, but physicians, nurses, and other clinical professionals would gain a marketable skill set by completing a Masters degree in Health Care Management. 

Perspective on Health Care Management 

“What is really needed in business, the church, government, education, arts, or any other type of organization is a group of more enlightened, competent leader-managers who appreciate and understand the disciplines and interconnectedness of the world around them – who lead people with a shared sense of purpose and enthusiasm for the myriad challenges that confront them.” - Kevin C. Eichner Ottawa University Chancellor

Leverage your background in the Health Care field in Ottawa University’s MBA program. Contact us today to learn more about our Population Health/Health Care Management concentration.

For curriculum and course descriptions please download a program overview.

See Also:

Master of Arts in Leadership

Master in Business Administration

Master in Human Resources

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Health Care Management | Population Health is offered at the following locations.

  • Ottawa, KS (Residential Campus)
  • Surprise, AZ (Residential Campus)
  • Overland Park, Kansas
  • Brookfield, Wisconsin
  • Online

Population Health Education and Qualifications

Those who are interested in becoming administrative services managers should have good leadership and communication skills and be able to establish effective working relationships with many different people, ranging from managers, supervisors and professionals, to clerks and blue collar workers. They must be able to coordinate several activities at once, quickly analyze and resolve specific problems, and cope with deadlines.

Careers in Health Care Management 

Most medical and health services managers work in offices in health care facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes, and group medical practices. Medical and health services managers plan, direct, and coordinate the business activities of health care providers. 

Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 32% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the considerable baby-boom population ages and people remain active later in life, there is an expected increase need for health care services. The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $100,980 in May 2019.

Careers in Health Care Management may include:

  • Administrative Director
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Chief Operating Officer
  • Clinic Director
  • Cost Estimators
  • Health Care Administrator
  • Health Care Consultant
  • Nursing Home Administrator
  • Physician Practice Manager
  • President and CEO
  • Vice President

MBA with Population Health/Health Care Management Concentration (36 credit hours)

Population Health/Health Care Management Concentration Courses (12 credit hours)

Legal, Ethical and Political Aspects of Health Care Management | BUS 7303 (3 credit hours)
Examines the legal, ethical, and political forces and their impact on health care organizations. Explores principles and practical applications of laws affecting the operational decisions of health care providers, health plans, and third-party payors and managers, as well as health care products and services.

Regulatory Systems and Qualitative Assessment in Health Care Environments | BUS 7305 (3 credit hours) 
Course provides insight into a variety of regulatory bodies commonly found in the US health system and explores their function, standards, and impact on quality assessment procedures. Other topics include the meaning of quality as it relates to health and health care, the various roles and responsibilities of regulatory boards, and the application of quality improvement within the medical care sector.

Population Health Management | BUS 7810 (3 credit hours) 
Provides an in-depth overview of PHM as a discipline, its components, and business applications. Covers the PHM paradigm, principles of behavior changes, health system navigation and continuity of care.  Course addresses the business case for PHM, IT decision support, policy implication and ethical dimensions, using models of care management and research as its basis.

Program Development for Improved Outcomes | BUS 7816 (3 credit hours) 
Provides practical applications of strategies to improve the health status and outcomes of defined populations.

Master of Business Administration Courses

Module 1 - Behavioral Courses (6 credit hours)

Organizational Behavior and Theory | BUS 7000 (3 credit hours) 
Examines human behavior as it impacts the work organization. Includes theoretical foundations of motivation, group dynamics, leadership, decision-making, satisfaction and performance.

Value Systems and Professional Ethics | BUS 7200 (3 credit hours) 
Study of personal and corporate value systems and decision making. Investigation of personal beliefs, purposes and attitudes, and their effects on self and others. Examines the ethical dimensions of organizational structures and practices.

Module 2 - Core Courses (15 credit hours)

Strategic Marketing | BUS 7450 (3 credit hours) 
Covers the identification and selection of marketing opportunities, target markets and design, and implementation and evaluation of marketing programs.

Managerial Economics | BUS 7500 (3 credit hours)
Application of economic theory to managerial. Emphasis on both quantitative and qualitative application of microeconomic principles to business analysis.

Managerial Finance | BUS 7600 (3 credit hours)  
Application of the theories and tools used in financial decision making. Topics include present value and capital budgeting, financial analysis and forecasting, market efficiency and capital structure.

Management Information Systems | BUS 7700 (3 credit hours)
Examines the use of computer information systems in business organizations with emphasis on how information technology supports business functions and aids managerial decision-making. Explores current trends and emerging technologies.

Management Accounting | BUS 7800 (3 credit hours) 
Explore use and application of accounting information for planning, control and decision making. Topics include: cost analysis and allocation, budgeting and behavioral aspects of accounting systems.

Module 3 - Capstone Course (3 credit hours)

Graduate Seminar: Business Policies and Strategy | BUS 8500 (3 credit hours)   
Capstone course in which participants develop a major case study of business administration issues, programs and policies in a current organization. Draws from and utilizes concepts, theories, and skills developed in previous courses.

For curriculum and course descriptions please download a program overview.

Full Degree Catalog

University Accreditation

Ottawa University, as a whole, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Specific degree programs within our institution have also been accredited by relevant bodies within the field:

We are proudly recognized for our commitment to student excellence by the following designations:

Why Choose Ottawa
Almost all courses in Ottawa University’s programs are available online and accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. We make it easy for you to transfer credits in order to help keep tuition costs down. We also offer courses in accelerated 8-week terms in order to reduce your time to completion. These are just a few of the reasons why we are proud to be the best, fastest, and most affordable option locally in the Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Phoenix areas, as well as serving students nationally through our online degrees.

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