WGU’s Master of Health Leadership Realigned to Support Implementation of ACO and Other Healthcare Initiatives
SALT LAKE CITY — Western Governors University’s (WGU) Master of Health Leadership (MHL) program has been realigned to meet today’s health leadership needs, enabling graduates to lead organizations in delivering the right support at the right time. The MHL provides skills and tools in innovative and value-based care delivery, as well as managing change related to Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and other new health initiatives.
Learn more about WGU’s Master of Health Leadership program at www.wgu.edu/mhl and by following @WGU on social media.
Offered by WGU’s College of Health Professions, the MHL is a flexible, online degree program designed for experienced healthcare leaders seeking a master's degree to grow within key leadership roles in health-associated industries and fields. Created in collaboration with experts and leaders working in major healthcare leadership positions, the MHL was developed through a process that ensures that its coursework is relevant for today’s health needs; courses include Analytical Methods of Health Leaders, Healthcare Models and Systems, Healthcare Information Technology, Population Healthcare Coordination, and more. Students can apply now and begin their MHL program as early as May 1, 2018.
“This Master of Health Leadership program provides the training needed to be an effective leader in U.S. healthcare today,” said Dr. Jan Jones-Schenk, WGU’s Academic Vice President of the College of Health Professions and Chief Nursing Officer. “The emphasis on value-based care, innovation, health IT and analytics, population care, and person-centered models of care will help address key skills gaps in our current workforce.”
Value-based care is a shift in the way we think about health, which focuses on outcomes rather than processes in care delivery. Quality is a fundamental aspect of value in this model, which supports the quadruple aim in healthcare: balancing quality, patient experience, cost, and care team well-being. WGU’s MHL program brings all elements into sharp focus and prepares students to visualize and address the full picture of leading in a rapidly transforming industry.
Like all WGU programs, the MHL is competency-based, an education model that focuses on measuring learning rather than time. Ideal for working professionals, competency-based education allows students to student and learn on schedules that fit their lives. With individualized faculty instruction and support, students move through course materials as quickly as they are able, advancing as soon as they demonstrate subject-matter mastery. Tuition per 6-month term is affordable at $3,750 (charged at a flat rate, regardless of the number of courses), and prior work experience and academic knowledge can enable students to accelerate their progress, saving both time and money.
