Master of Health Services Management

This course, offered by the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, provides professionals currently in, or seeking to be in, middle and senior health care management positions who wish to expand their knowledge and skills in the management of health services. It caters for the special needs of medical and general hospital administrators, clinical doctors, quality assurance managers, team leaders, senior nursing administrators, unit managers and a range of general task coordinators within the health care system.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that students will be able to:

1. apply the principles of financial and information management to a health care organisation
2. appreciate the economic and political influences and their relationships to health policy
3. analyse the basic elements of health care systems and compare recent health care reforms
4. critically appraise the interface between health care management theory and practice
5. develop the epidemiological and statistical skills necessary for evidence-based medicine, quality improvement and program evaluations
6. use international comparisons of health care systems and recent reforms to analyse the various models of funding, delivering, co-coordinating and developing health care systems
7. use international comparisons of health care systems and recent reforms to analyse the various models of funding, delivering, co-coordinating and developing health care systems
8. demonstrate an understanding of medico-legal issues and business law as applied to the management of health services
9. and develop skills in health care quality measurement, quality assurance, and quality improvement
10. analyse complex work place management problems and appropriate problem-solving techniques
11. demonstrate interpersonal, communication and leadership skills appropriate for health care managers, skills in literature review, report writing, oral presentations, verbal and visual communications and the basic use of spreadsheet, data-base, statistical and word-processing computer software
12. develop skills in a number of areas of special interest as defined in the specific objectives of individual elective units.

Medical graduates who are students undertaking this course and wanting to satisfy the requirements for The Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA) Fellowship need to complete the following units:

• MPH5040 Introductory epidemiology
• MPH5041 Introductory biostatistics
• MPH5213 Research methods
• MPH5283 Ethics, good research practice and practical research skills

This degree is accredited by The Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM) for College entry and advancement purposes.

The course is structured in 2 parts. Part A Advanced healthcare administration and management and Part B. Extending specialist knowledge electives. All students complete Part A and B.

Note that if you are eligible for credit for prior studies you may elect not to receive the credit.

Part A. Advanced healthcare administration and management

These studies provide you with a comprehensive study of health services management and administration, enabling you to gain advanced skills and knowledge. This includes in areas of health system laws, clinical leadership and management, quality improvement, financial and information management, health policy and health services development.

Part B. Extending specialist knowledge electives

These studies enable you to develop specialised knowledge and advanced skills in areas that suit your interests, skills and career goals. The theoretical and practical skills you gain are consolidated through the completion of a case study, in which you focus on exploring in detail a complex health services management problem within your workplace or within a health care setting.

The course comprises 72 points.

The course progression mapcourse progression map (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2016handbooks/maps/map-m6008.pdf) will assist you to plan to meet the course requirements, and guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

Units are 6 credit points unless otherwise stated.

Students complete:

• MPH5020 Introduction to epidemiology and biostatistics or MPH5040 Introductory epidemiology and MPH5041 Introductory biostatistics
• MPH5265 Law for health systems
• MPH5266 Clinical leadership and management
• MPH5267 Principles of health care quality improvement
• MPH5268 Financial issues in health care management
• MPH5269 Foundations of health policy
• MPH5272 Reform and development of health services
• MPH5273 Case study in health services management (12 points)
• elective units from the list below to take the total to 72 points

Elective list

• ECC5970 Introduction to health economics
• NUR5327 Management and leadership of professional nursing practice (12 points)
• MAP4200 Improving indigenous equity in professional practice
• MPH5042 Climate change and public health
• MPH5213 Research methods
• MPH5283 Ethics, good research practice and practical research skills
• MPH5285 Human factors for patient safety
• MPH5286 Applying and practicing the principles of patient safety and quality improvement
• NUR5315 Advanced nursing practice in context (12 points)
• any postgraduate unit offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Students may exit this course early and apply to graduate with one of the following awards, provided they have satisfied the requirements for that award during their enrolment in the master's course:

• Graduate Certificate in Health Services Management after successful completion of 24 points of study with a minimum of 18 credit points at level 4 or above
• Graduate Diploma in Health Services Management after successful completion of 48 points of study with a minimum of 36 credit points at level 4 or above.