Health Care Leadership
This major is designed specifically for students who have an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in an Allied Health profession from an accredited community college. It provides you with the leadership, strategic planning and management skills to take on leadership positions in the health care field.
See the Graduate section of this Catalog for more information on Graduate programs offered at Mount Mercy. Juniors and seniors may be eligible to take up to 13 graduate-level credits through the MMU Plus program.
Courses
HS 200 Organization of Health Care Services: 3 semester hours
This course relates organizational principles to the operation of health care facilities, including personnel management, communication structures, and governance with emphasis on leadership and motivation. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or permission of instructor.
HS 201 Quality Patient/Resident Care: 3 semester hours
This course relates physical, psychological and sociological needs of residents/patients to services provided by health care facilities and the role of leadership.
HS 205 Essentials and Practice in Health Care Navigation: 3 semester hours
This course explores the current topics and issues in health care navigation. Study will include health literacy, population health, health insurance, as well as current health care delivery models and trending non-clinical careers in health care. Prerequisite: HS 200.
HS 210 Introduction to Public Health: 3 semester hours
Public health affects every person and influences quality of life for every community both locally and globally. This introductory course in Public Health engages the student in exploring population health through the social, cultural, environmental, biological, economic and behavioral lenses of the health of a society. Students will learn public health terminology and gain understanding of the differences between health care and public health, as well as study historical and contemporary public health issues and cases. Prerequisite: SO 122.
HS 215 Introduction to Epidemiology: 3 semester hours
This introductory course in epidemiology studies the incidence, distribution and control of diseases and health related factors relative to the health of the individual, community and global environments. Methods, principles, and applications of population based epidemiology will be explored. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or permission of instructor.
HS 220 Health Literacy: 3 semester hours
This course is designed to elevate the abilities of health care professionals to teach individuals and communities about health care services, processes and systems. The student will learn to find, analyze and explain health care information to others using health literacy processes. In addition, the student will use essential communication skills to develop inter-professional relationships with providers and clients. Prerequisite: CO 101.
HS 300 Principles of Leadership for Health Care Navigation and Administration: 3 semester hours
Health Care management deals with processes while health care leadership is about influence. This course is designed to explore leadership concepts styles, skills, values, and practice that are essential to administrators and advocates as they become leaders in health care professions today. Prerequisite: HS 200.
HS 305 Spiritual and Cultural Perspectives in Health Care Management: 3 semester hours
This course relates the integral components of religion and culture in health care choices, treatments, and decision-making relative to the patient experience. Human resource management issues, health policy considerations, and inclusivity in organizational mission are areas of study in this course for students who will be in leadership roles in health care environments. Prequisite: HS 200.
HS 309 Analysis and Application of Health Insurance: 3 semester hours
This course provides advanced study of health insurance principles and terminology as well as types of insurance such as Medicaid, Medicare, private insurance, Exchanges, and others. Students gain navigation skills as they explore coverage decisions, worker’s compensation, filing claims, and administrative activities. Prerequisite: HS 200.
HS 320 Health Care Law, Regulations and Compliance: 3 semester hours
This course provides an overview of federal, state and other regulatory agencies' policies for health care facilities. Areas covered include: labor issues, liability, licensure requirements, environmental management, policy and procedure writing. Agencies covered will include: JCAHO, NCQA, Medicaid and Medicare. Prerequisites: HS 200.
HS 399 Special Topics: Health Care: 3 semester hours
This course includes an examination of major issues, selected topics or current trends in the study of health care. Course content and subtitle will vary. The course may be repeated with consent of the instructor. Prerequisite: Junior status or above.
HS 415 Health Care Informatics: 3 semester hours
In preparation for health care leadership in rapidly changing, complex health care delivery systems, students will examine clinical informatics models, electronic-based patient records, health information technology standards (HIT), health information exchange (HIE), clinical decision support systems, and evaluation of technology that influences health care delivery models, practices, and patient outcomes. HS 200 or permission of instructor.
HS 430 Financial Issues in Health Care Organizations: 3 semester hours
This course focuses on the unique financial issues and problems in a not-for-profit health care setting. Students will understand the impact of government in the financing of health care and health care facilities. General financial and economic principles will be viewed in light in this type of environment. Prerequisites: BC 265 and BC 266 or BC 202.
HS 441 Independent Study: Health Care: 1 semester hour
Independent Study in Health Care.
HS 442 Independent Study: Health Care: 2 semester hours
Independent Study in Health Care.
HS 443 Independent Study: Health Care: 3 semester hours
Independent Study in Health Care.
HS 450 Internship in Health Care: 3 semester hours
The internship will take place in various health care settings. Students will work directly with the professionals who are most knowledgeable about the specific interest area of the student. Students seeking to become licensed nursing home administrators may utilize HS 450 to accomplish the required internship/practicum credits set forth for Iowa Nursing Home Administrators by the Iowa Board of Professional Licensure. This course can be taken for a range of 1 - 6 semester hours. Prerequisite: Completion of HS 200 and at least two additional 3 credit HS (Health Services) courses. Student must achieve a minimum C grade in each HS (Health Services) course.
Health Care Leadership Major
| Required: | ||
| BA 203 | Principles of Law | 3 |
| BN 204 | Principles Of Management | 3 |
| BN 304 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| BC 202 | Accounting: Information for Decisions 1 | 4 |
| HS 320 | Health Care Law, Regulations and Compliance | 3 |
| HS 415 | Health Care Informatics | 3 |
| HS 430 | Financial Issues in Health Care Organizations | 3 |
| Total Hours | 22 | |
Completion of an AAS degree in a health care related field from an Iowa community college required. Eligible students can receive up to 75 hours of transfer credit. Students will take additional elective credit hours as needed to achieve the required 123 credit hours for graduation. Enrollment in HS 450 Internship in Health Care is recommended but not required.
Academic Requirements
All Health Care Leadership majors must achieve a minimum grade of C in all Mount Mercy HS (Health Services) major courses and prerequisites. Health Care Leadership majors are required to maintain an overall GPA of 2.0.