Health Care Administration (HCAD)

HCAD 305. Health-Care Communication. 3 Units.

Basic communication applications of health-care organizations. Communication theory, language, oral reporting, conducting meetings and conferences, interpersonal techniques of listening and interviewing, nonverbal communication, crises management, and public relations and multicultural as well as ethical considerations.

HCAD 328. Health-Care Organizational Behavior. 3 Units.

Applies behavioral-science concepts to understanding individual and group behavior in health-care organizations. Topics include: attitude formation, perceptual processes, motivation, job design, reward systems, leadership, group processes, organizational structure and design.

HCAD 359. Health-Care Marketing. 3 Units.

Surveys major marketing topics, including consumer behavior, product, pricing, placement, and promotions.

HCAD 374. Health-Care Human Resources. 3 Units.

Discusses theories and principles of traditional human resource management, as well as emerging trends and concepts. Explores hiring, training, personnel appraisal, task specialization, collective bargaining, compensation and benefits, and state and federal guidelines impacting human resources as well as assorted legal issues.

HCAD 380. Writing for Health-Care Administrators. 3 Units.

Expands upon entry-level writing coursework by teaching academic writing for the health-care environment. Develops information literacy, research, and writing skills through academic research and writing exercises.

HCAD 385. U.S. Healthcare Delivery and Reimbursement Systems. 2 Units.

Introduces the fundamental elements of the U.S. health-care delivery and reimbursement systems. Includes topics such as: the theoretical underpinning and developmental attributes of both systems in the U.S.; the significance in health-care decisions, planning, management, and evaluation; and current trends and events.

HCAD 401. Health-Care Operations Management. 3 Units.

Explains quantitative methods used to analyze and improve organizational processes within a health care organization. Decision analysis, break-even analysis, materials management, linear programming, queuing theory, quality management, network modeling, and game theory.

HCAD 409. Principles of Health-Care Administration. 3 Units.

Introduction to the administration of organizations within the context of the economic, regulatory, and financial constraints of the health-care delivery system. Areas covered include: concepts of organizational management; the management functions (planning, decision making, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling); budgeting; committees and teams; adaptation, motivation, and conflict management; authority, leadership, supervision; and human resource management.

HCAD 414. Sustainability for Health-Care Management. 3 Units.

Approaches health care management by focusing on health-care sustainability guidelines that reflect the intrinsic relationship between delivering quality health care and the ecological health of the community. Examines social trends and drivers of sustainable health systems and explores various approaches for health care providers and systems to become better stewards of the environment. Studies the relationship between hospital design, sustainability initiatives, and quality of care.

HCAD 417. GIS for Health-Care Management. 3 Units.

Use of geographic information system (GIS) methods to address key issues faced by managers responsible for health-care systems in government or private sector organizations. Focuses on geodesign; that is, the use of geotechnologies to find optimal solutions to geospatially defined issues. Introduces fundamentals of mapping, spatial query, pattern analysis, and spatial statistics. Emphasizes methods for modeling key processes in health care including suitability, movement, and interaction.

HCAD 461. Portfolio for Health-Care Administration I. 2 Units.

Part one of a two-course series preparing students for professional distinction in the field of health-care administration. Fosters personal and professional development through lectures, assessment, and related course activities. Student initiates an ePortfolio.

HCAD 462. Portfolio for Health-Care Administration II. 2 Units.

Part two of a two-course series preparing students for professional distinction in the field of health-care administration. Fosters personal and professional development through lectures, assessment, and related course activities. Completion of student ePortfolio.
Prerequisite: HCAD 461.

HCAD 491. Health-Care Administration Practicum I. 2 Units.

Simulates professional practice experiences and assignments in health-care administration reflective of the junior year program curriculum topics. This first practicum experience includes virtual case studies, reflection pieces, and video-conference dialogues with industry professionals to simulate experiences students could have in various health-care environments. Combines written and oral reports of experience with classroom discussion.

HCAD 492. Health-Care Administration Practicum II. 2 Units.

Simulates professional practice experiences and assignments in health-care administration reflective of the senior year program curriculum topics. Includes advanced virtual case studies, reflection pieces, and video-conference dialogues with industry professionals to illustrate potential experiences in different health-care environments. Combines written and oral reports of experiences with classroom discussion.
Prerequisite: HCAD 491.

HCAD 498. Health-Care Policy and Strategy. 3 Units.

Provides a comprehensive toolkit for health-care administrators to conduct policy and strategy development. Explores tools and techniques for internal and external environmental analysis and development of directional, adaptive, market entry, value-adding and other institutional strategies. Addresses action plans and strategy communication.

HCAD 499. Directed Study. 1-4 Units.

Student individually arranges to study under the guidance of a program faculty member. Project or paper to be submitted on a topic of current interest in an area related to health-care management. Regular meetings provide the student with guidance and evaluation. Activities may also include readings, literature review, or other special or research projects. A maximum of 4 units is applicable to any degree program.