This project-based practicum is an entry-level field experience designed to assist health care-related majors in exploring career and vocational settings in which they can use and apply their knowledge and skills. The practicum is exploratory in nature, involves extensive student initiative in designing and implementing the practicum, and is conducted under the supervision of the practicum mentor. A supplementary objective of the practicum is to explore and assess possibilities for settings and situations in which the student may engage for the internship of HLTC 651 or to investigate an evidence-based health and wellness topic for HLTC 652. PREREQUISITE: HLTC 550 Emerging U.S. Health Care System. Registration for this course is by permission of the Office of Academic Affairs. Earlier registration deadlines apply. Please consult your advisor.

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1. Identify and explain the connections between on-going academic training and the site-specific work environment.
2. State how the site-specific health and wellness organization is structured, funded, and managed.
3. Articulate knowledge of career expectations, realities, and opportunities within the site-specific health and wellness organization including range of salary, benefits, and other compensation.
4. Demonstrate effective use of workplace engagement strategies including, but not limited to, taking initiative to network, conducting interviews and being interviewed, and/or promoting ones capabilities and assets in the field setting.
5. Describe and assess personal career aspirations in the Health and Wellness field including locating and critiquing a potential internship site.
6. Display professionalism and standards of ethics, including, but not limited to, adherence to any and all work site policies and use of responsible quotation and citation practices based on impeccable documentation in all communications.

This course traces the evolution of the U.S. health care delivery system over the last century with a focus on the structure and function of the contemporary managed care system. The course examines a wide range of factors (sociocultural, political, economic, legal and technical) which have impacted the evolution of the current system. Economic factors related to the delivery of health care services are extensively covered. Comparative health care systems are examined. The impact of the changing demographics of the U.S. population on the design and delivery of health care is reviewed.

This course is designed for health care managers who do not have a background in financial management. As an introduction to the tools and processes that empower managers entrusted with budgetary oversight, the course provides fundamental skills for effective financial management in the rapidly changing health care environment. Students become prepared to make their organizations more effective in the four managerial functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling by balancing inflows (revenues) and outflows (expenses), successfully monitoring and controlling costs and staffing, and identifying areas to be targeted for improvement. Strategies to acquire and allocate funds and to plan, analyze, and control financial operations are introduced.

This course explores how psychological theories and techniques can minimize unnecessary morbidity and premature mortality. Applied behavioral and cognitive techniques that target primary and secondary prevention efforts are identified through theory and research. Effective health coaching and education techniques that support the compliance of healthy behaviors will be introduced.

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1. Identify factors that promote and inhibit the health of individuals and communities.
2. Describe and discuss theoretical constructs that influence individual responses to health and illness.
3. Identify the obstacles that prevent individuals from health behavior change.
4. Apply appropriate best practice interventions for health promotion and behavior change.
5. Demonstrate research skills to locate, utilize and report on primary resources using American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for in-text citations and the reference list.

This course outlines how health education delivery for various populations and communities has evolved. Topics include health behaviors, social determinants of health, cultural influences, health policy and economics, and how frameworks for health care systems influence disease prevention strategies. This course analyzes population health issues from multiple perspectives and examines community assessment strategies. The course also emphasizes the promotion of a healthy lifestyle for the individual and populations to reduce morbidity and mortality rates.

This course addresses the principles of planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of health programs with an emphasis on addressing community health frameworks, individual health and lifestyle risk factors, and the appropriate interventions to manage these risks. Partnership building with stakeholders will also be addressed.

This course analyzes various methods of health care financing including Medicare/Medicaid, private insurance (including HMO's), and self-funding. It then discusses the various methodologies for reimbursement under these programs, including fee-for-service, capitation, and DRG's and their impact on the health care organizations providing the services. This is not a managerial finance course that assumes knowledge of or experience in financial management. It is designed to introduce health and human services professionals to the basic concepts of health care finance and reimbursement. Students will be able to understand and analyze how budgets, expenses, financial statements, etc., are linked to the reimbursement process and the role of the non-financial manager in health and human services in these processes.

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1. Describe the various methods of health care financing and reimbursement within the U.S. health care system.
2. Explain the cause and effect of the various methods of health care financing and reimbursement at both the macro (system) and micro (individual or institution) levels.
3. Demonstrate familiarity and competency with accounting and financial methods and with the tools utilized in the financing and reimbursement of healthcare.
4. Discuss the complex interrelationships between the various mechanisms of health care financing and reimbursement and the delivery of services within the U.S. Health Care System.

This course provides students with a framework for working through increasingly complex legal and ethical issues that affect Health and Human Services professionals. This framework and broadened perspective will help practitioners recognize and respond to dilemmas in the field. Through an overview of regulatory action and the legislative and judicial processes, students will become familiar with how lawmakers confront changes brought on by pervasive issues such as patient rights, technological advances, and managed care. Following an initial overview of ethical theory, students will analyze precedent setting cases related to such topics as research and individual rights vs. the public good. Based on their own work or current issues in the field, students will apply these concepts to actual situations.

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1. Demonstrate analysis of important dilemmas in health care such as (but not limited to) patient rights, health care worker integrity, truth-telling in medicine, allocation/cost control and informed consent.
2. Analyze cases from readings and learners’ work experience incorporating concepts from paradigm cases.
3. Discuss and demonstrate how to maintain institutional, as well as individual integrity.
4. Apply interactive skills, theoretical knowledge, and established criteria in a collaborative effort to make and justify recommendations on specific cases.
5. Evaluate current legal/ethical issues by locating and reviewing relevant articles from professional and general publications and the Internet.
6. Identify how and by whom legal and ethical issues in health care are decided in our society.

Health care professionals interact with patients, families, communities, and populations in technology rich environments. This course provides students with the opportunity to explore communication technologies and informatics tools integral to the health care system. Students will investigate how data is collected and utilized to inform decisions. Consideration of the impacts of information and communication technologies relative to ethical standards, quality improvement, regulations, and the experience of patients and providers shall be explored by students.

This course explores the multifaceted issues affecting health care policy in the United States. The course reviews the history of health care policy and provides students with an understanding of how it has shaped our current health care delivery system. Major health care policies and initiatives are reviewed. The course also explores the many political challenges (state and national), political process, impact of the presidential administration, and political interest groups. Students examine the impact that various parties have on health care policy and the challenges facing reform efforts.

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1. Demonstrate an awareness of the history of national health care policy.
2. Identify and explain major health care policies and initiatives as well as their implications.
3. Identify and discuss the challenges facing health care reform efforts.
4. Explain the complexities of the political process with regard to health care legislation.
5. Analyze the multiple state and national efforts over the past decade which have resulted in successes and failures toward health care reform.

This upper level course is a field-based experience designed to develop and hone the practical application skills of a health care, human services, or wellness-related major. Students apply for an internship at a self-selected site and negotiate the terms of the internship experience with a site supervisor under the auspices of their Granite State College internship mentor. The internship requires documented evidence of eighty hours of supervised experience and practice in a field setting where health care, human services, or wellness-related knowledge and skills are applied. A non-field-based project may be substituted with approval of the Office of Academic Affairs. NOTE: Registration for this course as an internship is by permission of the Office of Academic Affairs. Early registration deadlines may apply.

This project-based capstone integrative seminar focuses on the concepts and techniques of successful health care management practices. It analyzes the process of developing and executing strategies designed to optimize a health care organization and its management. Students apply their knowledge of health care systems, policy, financing, and information systems to a course project. The project integrates essential knowledge from the degree program at both the practical and the theoretical levels while fulfilling the student's own field of professional interest.

This upper level course is a field-based experience designed to develop and hone the practical application skills of a health care, or wellness-related major. Students apply for an internship at a self-selected site and negotiate the terms of the internship experience with a site supervisor under the auspices of their Granite State College internship mentor. The internship requires documented evidence of eighty hours of supervised experience and practice in a field setting where health care, or wellness-related knowledge and skills are applied. This course is the capstone for the BS in Health and Wellness. NOTE: Registration for this course as an internship is by permission of the Office of Academic Affairs. Early registration deadlines may apply.

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1. Acquire and complete an in-depth supervised experience in a field setting that is related to the Health and Wellness program and one's career path.
2. Participate in activities that bolster individual professional development.
3. Determine and use health and wellness knowledge, skills, and methods to a specific field setting, client population, or service clientele by summarizing research of evidence-based practice in a written report.
4. Articulate and apply professional behavior, fundamental rights, ethical principles (including responsible quotation and citation practices based on impeccable documentation in all communications), and overarching policies that guide health and wellness professionals while working in a field setting.
5. Write and orally present a summative paper detailing the internship (including the site's mission/vision, services, clientele, etc.) as well as the student's integrative conclusions and reflections on the knowledge achieved through the completion of the Health and Wellness program and this field-based experience.

This capstone course requires students to integrate the knowledge and skills gained from other courses in the program and to demonstrate the ability to apply their knowledge to new subject matter and practical situations. Conforming to the clinical, research and ethical health standards, students will complete an independent project, which includes the written analysis and synthesis integrating theory and practice.

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1. Identify and use research and resources in Health and Wellness to develop a project that integrates prior learning and experience with personal and professional goals.
2. Analyze the project by articulating connections between current theory and practice in Health and Wellness.
3. Synthesize findings in reflective written reports and oral presentations.
4. Demonstrate critical analysis of sources.
5. Employ responsible quotation and citation practices based on impeccable documentation in both written and oral communications.
6. Integrate and apply the fundamental rights, ethical principles, and overarching policies that guide health and wellness practitioners.

The course examines the political, legal, economic and fiscal components that impact and influence health care delivery systems. A focus within the course will be on developing and managing innovations that improve the value of health care. Management challenges and barriers to implementing change within the system will also be examined.

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1. Analyze direct health care delivery structures and processes within and across health care settings and explores their impact within the health care systems.
2. Explore and evaluate health care systems at micro and macro levels and the connections between the various levels of analysis.
3. Identify and implement the knowledge, skills, and tools that contribute to managing cutting edge delivery strategy and processes.
4. Understand the importance of health care policy-making as it related to health care delivery system.
5. Implement systems thinking and processes identify, engage and manage innovative organizational change that is relevant to health care setting.

This course provides a critical introduction to the financial structure and challenges of health care finance. The student will learn the impact of current changes in health care and the need for clinical and financial integration. Content includes information specific to revenue cycles, billing compliance, charity care, bad debt and payers (private and government). The student will understand the unique budgeting processes and financial reporting requirements of health care organizations. The course discusses the interprofessional roles in the day to day financial operations. High level communication skills in finance to engage in dialogue with stakeholders will be required.

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1. Analyze the impact of recent health care reform and the resulting critical need for closer clinical and financial integration
2. Apply business and economic principles and practices to revenue cycle processes including private and government payers, billing compliance, audits, charity care and bad debt
3. Review budgeting processes and financial reporting that is unique to the health care industry
4. Appraise the ways financial and clinical decisions impact daily operations, as well as the financial health of the organization
5. Evaluate the ways health care executives are addressing the current challenges in the financing of health care delivery
6. Apply communication strategies to engage in dialogue with the finance team and stakeholders

This course requires the student to employ analytical skills to evaluate the impact of institutional, regulatory and political policies on financial and health outcomes. Interprofessional health care roles will be introduced and integrated into decision-making and advocacy in health care. Issues specific to health insurance, socioeconomic challenges and barriers to health care will be included. The student will examine the impact of emerging regulations, organizational and political change to health care quality and cost.

This course provides an in-depth analysis of the quality and safety priorities in the current health care environments. Students will contrast the strengths and weaknesses of current quality improvement models including aspects related to efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness as well as being ethical and culturally responsible. The master’s student will engage in the promotion of high level communications and advocacy that are necessary for quality and safety initiatives. The course includes the impact of regulatory organizations in health care quality. The student will be prepared to plan, implement and evaluate the results of a quality improvement and specifically address the improvements to health care outcomes.

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1. Analyze information about quality initiatives and the unique interprofessional roles required to sustain improvements and improve population health outcomes. 2.Compare and contrast strengths and weakness of quality improvement models.
2. Promote a professional environment that includes accountability and high-level communication skills when involved in peer review, advocacy for patients and families, reporting of errors, and professional writing.
3. Plan, implement and evaluate evidence based quality improvement methods to promote culturally responsive, safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-centered care.

This course provides students with the opportunity to ethically manage data, information, knowledge, and technology. Students will focus upon the development and quality of data-driven outcomes. Students will critique and utilize research and evidence from data to inform decisions that impact the health care outcomes. In addition, the student will analyze emerging health care technologies as they are applied to environments, safety, cost and improvement of health. Ethics and privacy are emphasized in the evaluation of technology in health care.

This integrative course is the culminating course in the Master of Science in Health Care Management. All other required coursework must have been completed prior to receiving approval to register for this course. Students during the capstone experience will integrate health care management competencies, and acquired knowledge and skills that combine health care perspectives, theories, skills, and tools in an applied format. Final products include a comprehensive project that incorporates strategic and organizational components designed specific to health care systems. After documenting the above, students will discuss and defend their project orally.