MS in Healthcare Finance
The MS in Healthcare Finance is designed for those who already have advanced preparation and/or certification in a related field (e.g., CPA, MD, JD, MBA, PharmD) preparing for positions as CFO, budget director or financial analyst, or those in general healthcare management desiring a deeper knowledge of financial strategy and practice. The program provides a rigorous background for practical applications in areas such as third party reimbursement, physician practice management and valuation, projection of working capital requirements, analysis of hospital bond rating and pricing, risk assessment, mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.
Curriculum
10 Courses / 30 Semester Hours
- HM 5101 Health Systems Organization
- HM 5102 Management of Healthcare Organizations
- HM 5103 Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations
- ACCT 5107 Medicare and Third-party Reimbursement
- RMI 5103 Healthcare Risk Management
- Select One (3 s.h.) - FIN 510 Financial Analysis & Planning /or/ FIN 511 Asset Management /or/ FIN 512 Capital Structure)
- Three Electives (9 s.h.)in Accounting or Finance (nb: the electives selected must be approved by the MS Healthcare Finance program director)
- HM 5106 Advanced Health Economics and Finance**
** HM 5106 is a new course that replaces HM 596
Prerequisites
Finance 401, Economics 403 and HM 503 or equivalent and permission of instructor
The course objectives are: To value the human and financial dimensions of health care, estimate cash flows from healthcare operations, and to value the organization’s assets, to structure accounts for efficient and meaningful transactions records and gain competence and confidence in the skills needed to manage the financial operations of a medical organizations.
Students are expected to obtain an overall understanding of the flow of funds in healthcare, and to choose a particular aspect for their term project. The role of contracts in solving problems of risk and ownership are emphasized, with a case study of the organization of the Pharmaceutical Industry used as an exercise in relating function, structure and cash flow. Analysis administrative and regulatory detail in a wide range of organizational settings provides a cumulative picture of the health care industry, and is tied to macroeconomic trends and their current budgetary expression (e.g., “sustainable growth rate” limitations in physician reimbursement, area wage indices).
The mechanics and ethics of cost shifting are examined in detail. The justification and merits of for-profit and not-for-profit capital structures in the hospital and insurance industry are contrasted.
*** The curriculum assumes that the applicant has an advanced degree in healthcare management or prior academic background in accounting and finance. If students enter without adequate background the following courses will be required:
- Acct 401 - Fundamentals of Accounting
- Fin 401 - Financial Management in Business
- Stat 402 - Statistical Analysis
Total credits for MS in Healthcare Finance is 30 to 45 depending on prerequisites.
Advisor
Dr. William Aaronson
Program Director
Tel: (215) 204-8128
E-mail: aaronson@temple.edu