Degree arms health managers for complex situations

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has launched a new online degree to provide healthcare managers with the skills needed to make lead organisations and healthcare teams in complex environments while considering delivery of services, safety and risk management.

The launch of the Master of Health Services Management comes as the coronavirus pandemic highlights the need for managers that can make complex decisions under intense pressure.

Delivered part-time and 100% online, the course aims to give students a deep understanding of the complexities of the Australian health and social care systems.

UTS Professor of Health Services Management Joanne Travaglia said the future of health care is being defined by constant change and complex needs, as the coronavirus pandemic has shown.

“The effectiveness of our healthcare system is determined by the skill of our healthcare management staff and their ability to meet challenges in very demanding environments. Postgraduate study can accelerate the acquisition of the in-demand skills and attributes necessary to navigate the politics, policy and data of Australia’s complex healthcare system,” she said.

“With our ageing population too, the demand on Australia’s health system is soaring. There is a growing need for healthcare experts to drive change with a focus on interdisciplinary care.

“The Master of Health Services Management offered by UTS Online is for health and social care professionals who want to drive change to create safer, higher value and more equitable services and systems.”

While some significant improvements have been made in health care, research shows that internationally, error rates in hospitals remain, at the very least, at one in 10 for hospital admissions, for example. With the coronavirus pandemic, there is no room for error.

“Enormous demands are being made on healthcare providers, and managers need the best possible skillset to deal with quickly evolving healthcare situations and the management of scarce resources,” Professor Travaglia said.

“The UTS Online Master of Health Services Management, one of the most contemporary and comprehensive courses of its kind, equips managers with these skills.”

The Master of Health Services Management can be tailored to students’ career plans, with a choice between a Quality and Safety major and a general option with no major for which a Student Enrolment Advisor helps students to structure an individual pathway. Sub-majors include Digital Health, Leadership and Planning.

“The Quality and Safety major focuses on giving you the skills to improve quality and safety in health and social care settings. It gives you the knowledge to apply planning and evaluation techniques, understand data and data sources, and assess systems for innovation,” Professor Travaglia said.

“With subjects such as Managing Quality, Risk and Cost in Healthcare, Planning and Evaluating Health Services, and Systems and Service Innovation, graduates can immediately apply what they’ve learned in complex health situations. These skills can be used in a wide variety of healthcare settings, so they open up a world of career opportunity in health and social care settings.”

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