Healthcare Administration Degree Online Bachelor of Science

With an online Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration with a concentration in Health Information Management, you'll focus on the integration of technology in healthcare organizations. As a graduate of one of our specialized healthcare administration programs, you'll be equipped to identify and implement business rules to develop effective medical information management systems, especially in supervisory positions.

Our specialized healthcare administration bachelor’s in health information management is ideal for students seeking managerial roles. Healthcare organizations can benefit from the use of healthcare data and its application to decision-making.

The health information management concentration keys in on areas administrators may need to understand more deeply, such as computerized diagnostic and treatment equipment, health insurance changes, record management systems, data-processing technology and activity reports on a variety of programs and services.

The curriculum for this healthcare administration bachelor's in health information management combines technical knowledge with our healthcare administration program's core, which zeroes in on business, ethics and policy. You'll focus on long- and short-term planning, operations, maintenance and forecasting in healthcare organizations. Courses are taught by leading professionals in the healthcare administration and IT fields.

Career outlook:

Healthcare is the largest industry in the United States, as well as the second-largest employer. That's why the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects growth of 28% through 2031 for medical and health services managers. Median annual salary for this role, which varies by region and responsibility, was $101,340 in 2021.¹

A healthcare administration bachelor's in health information management positions graduates for managerial roles such as first-line supervisors, business intelligence analysts, administrative services managers and quality control systems managers.

Courses may include:

• Communication and Technologies
• Healthcare Data Management
• Healthcare IT Infrastructure and Network Management

Students interested in focusing their career solely in the area of health information management are encouraged to consider a health information management degree program.

As more people require the services of the healthcare field over the next few decades, increased attention will be put on patient safety. In this fast-growing industry, there's a need to focus on compliance, analysis and development of quality healthcare. Interpreting information on how patients are treated helps create needed change in policies and assists in preventing errors in the future.

By earning a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration with a concentration in Patient Safety and Quality, you'll learn basic management practices that focus on the patient experience, improving medical outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.

The quality of patient care is one of the most important initiatives currently facing the industry. In response, we worked with specialists in the field to develop this patient safety and quality healthcare program, one of only a few baccalaureate-level healthcare administration degrees of its kind.

Mary Shannon Brady '21 says, "I have not seen this program offered anywhere else and while still holding to structured deadlines, it allows for working adults and parents to have time for family, hobbies and extracurricular activities."

Coursework in the patient safety and quality concentration focuses on leadership, risk identification and analysis, data management and cultural change. Throughout your studies, you’ll gain a comprehensive knowledge of healthcare administration while learning how to take on the patient advocacy role that a growing number of consumers require for their well-being.

Career outlook:

An aging population has created a hiring boom in the healthcare industry. Employment of medical and health services managers could see growth of 28% through 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Median annual salaries for this type of role, which vary by region and responsibility, were $101,340 in 2021.¹

With a degree in patient safety and quality, you'll possess the skills to be considered for positions such as compliance director, patient safety representative, patient safety manager, and quality and patient safety specialist, becoming the voice for patients across organizations.

That's one of the many reasons Katwana Harris '21 chose this concentration. "[This degree] provides me a variety of directions I can take in obtaining a career or sustaining my career in the healthcare field."

Courses may include:

• Healthcare Regulatory Compliance and Accreditation
• Patient Safety Systems and Strategies
• Performance Improvement Measurement and Methodologies

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

As part of our mission to make higher education more accessible, we’re committed to keeping our tuition rates low. In fact, we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation.

Prior coursework could also help you save time and money. SNHU’s transfer policy allows you to transfer up to 90 credits toward your bachelor's degree and 45 credits for an associate degree from your previous institutions—that means you could save up to 75% off the cost of tuition. You could also save time and money by getting college credit for previous work experience, or by taking advantage of military discounts and employer tuition assistance if available to you.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 160,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), a regional accreditor, which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality. 

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• U.S. News & World Report named SNHU the 2021 Most Innovative University in the North and one of the nation's "Best Regional Universities"
• Awarded the 21st Century Distance Learning Award for Excellence in Online Technology by The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA)
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 300,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

93.6% of online students would recommend SNHU (according to a 2022 survey with 17,000+ respondents). Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials:

• Completed free undergraduate application
• Prior transcripts, which we can retrieve at no cost to you
• Test scores are not required as part of your application

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 6 (8-week) undergraduate terms.

If you’re ready to apply, follow these simple steps to get the process going:

• Complete a free undergraduate application
• Submit any additional documents required
• Work with an admission counselor to explore financial options and walk through the application process

If you have questions or need help filling out your application, call 1.888.387.0861 or email enroll@snhu.edu.

Notes: 

• Laptop or desktop?  Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility. 

• Note:  Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10. 

• Office 365 Pro Plus is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for Microsoft 365 plans for business, education and government. 

• Antivirus software: Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers. 

A bachelor's in healthcare administration can help you develop your managerial skills, helping lead processes and staff for various units, floors, departments or an entire facility within a healthcare setting, explained Dr. Toni Clayton, associate dean of healthcare professions at Southern New Hampshire University.

The BS in Healthcare Administration ultimately may help you improve patient care and the patient experience at your organization.

“Healthcare administrators support policies and processes for the delivery of care and services that impact our patient populations,” Clayton said. “It requires leaders to apply healthcare principles and methodologies as they manage people and processes.”

With your bachelor's in healthcare administration, you position yourself for leadership roles in facilities, clinical departments and medical practices.

Dr. Toni Clayton, associate dean of healthcare professions at Southern New Hampshire University, said that those with a healthcare administration degree could work in places like:

• Ambulatory care and nursing homes
• Centers for Disease Control
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
• Department of Health
• Federally qualified health centers
• Hospice services
• Hospitals
• Mental health organizations
• Physician practices
• Rehabilitation centers
• State and local agencies
• Universities and research institutions

Dig deeper into these organizations to realize just what that entails: the oversight of admission, emergency services, surgical services, patient financial services, laboratory services, rehabilitation services, pharmacy and wellness, Clayton said.

Today, professionals in healthcare management often combine their credentials with work experience in a healthcare facility, according to BLS.¹ Yet there are myriad healthcare settings – government, independent, nonprofit and commercial – that could benefit from the expertise of an employee with a degree in healthcare management. For that reason, healthcare manager, administrator, director and executive jobs and positions are regularly found at:

• Healthcare entities and providers: These include aforementioned settings such as hospitals, physicians' groups or practitioners' offices, nursing and residential care facilities, hospices, outpatient care centers, clinics and similar organizations, as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB).² Recently, however, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, JPMorgan Chase and Apple entered this space and are disrupting traditional healthcare provider models by forming independent healthcare companies for their employees.
• Healthcare suppliers and vendors: The people, agencies or companies – other than providers – that furnish goods, supplies, equipment and services used in patient care and treatment, also as defined by NPDB.²
• Pharmaceutical, biotech, biomedical and related industries: These are the companies that research, develop, design and manufacture new treatments, medicines and cures, as well as the medical and surgical devices, equipment, software and applications used in healthcare.
• Health insurance companies: Commercial or private market health insurance coverage can be confusing "both to policymakers and to employers and enrollees," noted the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).³ Some of the complexity stems from the multiple health plans and systems involved, including health maintenance organizations (HMO), preferred provider organizations (PPO), exclusive provider organizations (EPOs) and point-of-service (POS).
• Education: College and universities, some of which are affiliated with teaching hospitals and other health facilities, are educating and training the next generation of healthcare managers. Working for post-secondary education programs usually requires an advanced degree.
• Government agencies: Numerous health and human services, social services and public health services are administered and managed at the local, state and federal level. Agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), also help create laws and regulations governing healthcare and public policy.⁴

In most of the above-mentioned settings, a professional with a healthcare management degree can expect to work with some or all of the key stakeholders, defined as the 4 Ps by the Joint Learning Network: patients, providers, payers and policy-makers.⁵

Read more about why healthcare administration may make sense for you.

Yes. As baby boomers – the largest generation – continue to reach retirement age and require more services, the need for more qualified health professionals will continue to grow.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the need for medical and health services managers could grow 28% through 2031 – much faster than the increase in jobs across all industries.¹ That's an additional 136,200 positions that could be created in that time.¹

In 2021, about one-third of medical and health services managers worked in hospitals. Other large employers include physicians' offices, nursing and residential care facilities, government and outpatient care centers.¹

What's right for your goals and your life may not be what works for other students. The "best" online school is the one that meets your needs.

What are you looking for in a college that offers its healthcare administration degrees online? You'll want to initiate a discussion with your admission counselor about whether we offer everything you want in an online college. Some things that are specific to our health administration degree include:

• Curriculum. Review the courses in your major to determine if they can help you take your career in the direction you want to go.
• Experiential learning opportunities. Hands-on experience can not only help prepare you and give you confidence for your career, but it can also help add depth to your resume. Take advantage of opportunities that come your way, like the HEaRT Challenge.
• Value. You'll see a return on your investment when you enroll in our online health administration degree program, which has some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation. In addition, you can lower your costs further by transferring up to 90 credits toward your bachelor's degree.
• Specializations. What's best for you also might mean earning a more focused health administration degree. We offer 2 concentrations for our program: health information management and patient safety and quality. A specialized degree could help you stand out in the job market.

We know online schooling may not be comfortable for everyone. That's why we do everything we can to support you every step of the way.

"The way the program is set up allows for constant interaction with classmates through discussion board activities, so students are never without classroom interaction, even if it is virtual," says Mary Shannon Brady '21.

In the end, only you can make the decision on which factors can help you make your decision.

The classes you'll take in your healthcare administration degree program help you develop the skills you need to be successful in a variety of healthcare settings.

At SNHU, you can have confidence that what you're learning in your classes is what the healthcare industry wants today: The entire program's curriculum was designed to align with the curriculum principles developed by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).

It's important to note our program's alignment with the AUPHA competencies – which the organization has deemed as crucial to have for a healthcare administrator – because these outcomes also line up as critical to have by the Healthcare Leadership Alliance (HLA). The HLA is made up of 6 leading professional organizations:

• American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
• American College of Physician Executives (ACPE)
• American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE)
• Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
• Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)
• Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)

This online health administration degree program can position you for the training and expertise needed to become a leader in the industry. Topics that you'll cover throughout your BS in Healthcare Administration program may include:

• Economics
• Epidemiology
• Ethical and legal issues
• Human resources
• Marketing
• Reimbursement
• Organizational behavior

You'll also have the ability to choose 3 free elective courses so that you can focus on areas of healthcare administration that you're most interested in. Or you could choose to add one of 2 concentrations offered with this major:

• Health Information Management, which gives you insight into better integration of technology in healthcare organizations
• Patient Safety and Quality, which helps you develop more awareness about the relationships between the two and creating techniques to improve them

This online health administration degree well prepares you to become a decision-maker regarding the planning, directing and coordination of health services.

How long it takes to earn your bachelor's in health administration depends on a number of factors.

If you've attended other colleges in the past, you'll want to transfer in your previously earned credits. SNHU offers students a generous transfer policy, accepting up to 90 credits toward your program here. Our admission team requests all your past transcripts and provides you with a free transfer credit evaluation, so you can see just how many classes you'd need to take at SNHU to finish your program.

You'll also need to think about whether you want to enroll in your program part time or full time. At Southern New Hampshire University, your enrollment status is defined as:

• Part time: 1 class per 8-week term
• Full time: 2 classes per 8-week term

With 6 undergraduate terms a year, you decide exactly when you can earn your degree – because it's on your schedule. Your academic advisor can help you map out your courses so you have a plan in place to reach your goals.

In May 2021, according to the BLS, the median annual wage for medical and health services manager roles was $101,340. The highest 10% of workers earned more than $205,620.¹

Within popular industries, the BLS reports median annual salaries as:¹

• Government: $117,000
• Hospitals: $119,450
• Outpatient care centers: $99,540
• Physicians' offices: $98,230
• Nursing and residential care facilities: $83,550

¹ Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#tab-1 (viewed Oct. 24,2022). Cited projections may not reflect local or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

² National Practitioner Data Bank, Definitions, on the internet, at https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/guidebook/CDefinitions.jsp (viewed May 19, 2021).

³ National Conference of State Legislatures, Health Insurance Plan Types and Definitions, on the internet, at http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/health-insurance-plan-types-and-definitions.aspx (viewed May 19, 2021).

⁴ U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Laws and Regulations, on the internet, at https://www.hhs.gov/regulations/index.html (viewed May 19, 2021).

⁵ Joint Learning Network, Connecting Health Information Systems for Better Health, on the internet, at https://jln1.pressbooks.com/ (viewed May 19, 2021).