Older adults place significantly greater demands on healthcare services than younger people. That’s noteworthy because, as a Committee on the Future Health Care Workforce for Older Americans report points out, “Over the coming decades, the total number of Americans ages 65 and older will increase sharply.” One in six Americans was 65 and over in 2020; the number of Americans in that age group should nearly double by 2060, from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million.
An aging population is putting unprecedented pressure on healthcare services, driving demand for healthcare workers, healthcare facilities and managers to organize and oversee medical information and healthcare staff. Demand for managers is particularly acute; while the entire healthcare job market should grow at an appropriate 10% rate, employment of medical and health services managers is projected to increase by 28% over the next decade, with 54,700 job openings expected annually.
You can join this fast-growing, high-paying career field, but like most professions, healthcare management demands the expertise and experience students can gain from an advanced degree program. If you are an early or mid-career professional, you may benefit from a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Healthcare Management, such as the online program offered by Case Western Reserve University (CWRU).
An MBA in Healthcare Management can help you build the necessary skills and proficiencies to ascend to upper management and executive-level positions in healthcare–-and an online format enables you to complete the program where you live, without having to relocate or leave your job.
Assessing Your Healthcare Leadership Career Goals
Ask yourself the following questions to determine whether a healthcare management MBA is the right choice for your aspirations:
- Do I hope to lead healthcare organizations and stand at the forefront of an evolving industry?
- Am I interested in a role focused on solving real-world business challenges in a healthcare setting?
- Do I want to develop greater analytical, finance, accounting, and business strategy skills to advance my career?
- Am I interested in healthcare innovation?
- If I am new to healthcare, do I want to move into a growing and changing industry?
- If I am already in healthcare, do I want to move into a healthcare management or leadership role?
- Do I want to boost my earning potential?
If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, an MBA in Healthcare Management could help you achieve your career goals.
Learn Advanced Management in a Healthcare Context
A Healthcare MBA from CWRU Builds Leadership Skills
Understanding the Healthcare Management Landscape
The healthcare industry continually battles the twin forces of costs and affordability to deliver effective and accessible healthcare. Healthcare organizations face critical issues, including ongoing inflation, a tight labor market, and high drug pricing. Modern management tools, including data analytics and artificial intelligence, have joined the mix of approaches healthcare management professionals use to save money, empower all stakeholders, increase productivity and improve patient outcomes. Healthcare leaders need advanced business knowledge and specialized knowledge of the industry’s inner workings to succeed in the current challenging environment.
Advantages of Pursuing an MBA in Healthcare Management
An MBA in Healthcare Management from Case Western Reserve can help aspiring healthcare leaders achieve their career goals. The curriculum, which includes two in-person residency experiences, builds leadership skills and business acumen while providing a broad understanding of the healthcare industry. The program’s interdisciplinary approach develops analytic, decision-making, leadership and communication skills alongside healthcare economics, finance, operations and regulation expertise.
With a healthcare MBA, you can qualify for top healthcare management jobs, such as clinical practice manager, hospital administrator, and even hospital CEO. Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) research indicates that recruiters view the MBA degree favorably. Ninety-two percent of corporate recruiters planned to hire MBA graduates in 2022, and 63%expect demand for new business school talent to increase further over the next five years.
Considerations for Prospective Healthcare MBA Students
Not all MBA programs are alike. As you evaluate your options, consider the following factors:
- Faculty expertise: When choosing an MBA program, look for one with faculty that has extensive knowledge in relevant fields, such as finance, sales management, entrepreneurship, and technology. Healthcare MBA faculty should have extensive experience in managing and financing large healthcare operations.
- Program structure: Choose a program that covers business management and healthcare topics in-depth and includes in-person residency opportunities to allow you to learn by doing.
- Accreditation: Choose a business school that is AACSB-accredited. Accreditation ensures that the program meets baseline criteria for curriculum faculty qualifications, mission, and ability to deliver quality education.
CWRU’s online healthcare MBA meets these criteria, providing students with the management skills to solve real-world business challenges and lead healthcare organizations.
How Case Western Reserve University Reimagines Healthcare Leadership
Featuring multidisciplinary coursework from Case Western Reserve’s renowned business, medical, law, and engineering schools, the CWRU online MBA in Healthcare Management provides a core MBA education and strategic healthcare management courses. Students benefit from learning opportunities developed in collaboration with nearby hospital partners; Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth System, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, and University Hospitals. The university’s industry partnerships mean that students can learn directly from healthcare management leaders through regular classes, virtual interviews and summer residencies.
CWRU’s Multi-day residency experiences enable students to develop new perspectives and relationships and gain insight into the day-to-day responsibilities of healthcare leaders. This invaluable experience prepares MBA students to step into healthcare management roles confidently. As online student Joshua Ohman explains: “Being able to go to the hospital systems and speak directly with senior leadership and … [dive] into the things we were learning was valuable and an awesome experience.”
Determine Your Eligibility for the Leadership-Focused Healthcare MBA
Candidates for the online MBA in Healthcare Management at Case Western Reserve University must have at least two years of professional experience, which need not be in the healthcare sector. If you meet that requirement and are passionate about tackling real-world business challenges at the intersection of healthcare, this could be the right program for you.
To apply to the CWRU online MBA in Healthcare Management program, complete an online application and submit the required supporting documents: video essays and a vision statement, resume, optional GMAT or GRE scores, transcripts, and recommendations. Once your application is complete, you may receive an invitation to interview.
Kickstart Your Healthcare Management Career with CWRU
If you’re ready to take the next step forward in your healthcare management career, take stock of your aspirations, ideal working environment and interests to determine whether a healthcare MBA is the right fit for you. Should you decide to pursue an MBA, consider the CWRU online MBA in Healthcare Management as a fit for your educational and career goals.
The CWRU MBA in Healthcare Management is a high-touch online program that comprises interactive, in-person virtual experiences while still providing the flexibility of online learning. Students can attend classes from anywhere in the world and complete the asynchronous course content on their own schedule. Online students have access to 24/7 tech support throughout the program and a student success coach to provide you with academic, personal, social and career support from matriculation through graduation. The CWRU Weatherhead School of Management also offers career counseling, networking opportunities, and virtual, career-focused events and workshops–a personalized, customer-service-oriented approach to help you connect with the right company or position.
To learn more about the program and application process, contact an enrollment advisor to set up a one-on-one consultation.