About
Ronnie D. Horner, PhD
It would be a profound understatement to say that health care delivery in the United States is in transition. There is increasing emphasis on population health wherein health systems are being held accountable for improving health with outcome-based medicine. Technological advances are dramatically changing care delivery and access. New policies now require health systems to be more transparent with respect to the prices of their services. At the same time, long-standing issues such as resource management and workforce development continue to demand our attention.
At the core of all these changes is the need and opportunity for health care workers to apply their knowledge and skills with a command of the foundational principles of health systems science, operational management, policy and evidence-based health management. Health administration requires new ways of thinking about health care delivery and research that guides direction. Through such re-imagining, we can more effectively address the most pressing challenges to achieving a patient-centered health care environment.
Our department is committed to educating future leaders who can bring impactful change and focused effort to the health industry. Our faculty are creating state-of-the-knowledge educational courses while advancing valuable research in health administration and policy.
We invite you to explore our website and learn more about our academic programs, research work and service activities through various centers and programs affiliated with our department. We aspire to make an impact on health and health care—and to do so in the near-term. If you are like-minded, come join us.
I welcome you to contact us with any questions you may have.
Ronnie D. Horner, PhD
HSRA Department Chair
What Sets Us Apart
Our dedicated faculty includes nationally and internationally recognized researchers and experts in health administration, policy development, organizational development and health economics. Preparing students to become successful leaders in health care administration is the goal of our robust curriculum and research endeavors. We aim to build students' foundational understanding while creating opportunities to grow real-world skills.
A fundamental goal of this department is to help shape the future direction of health administration. We look to do that by educating future leaders and uncovering and advancing innovation. A central focus is leadership development, which means empowering students with the right tools to make an impact and advance real-world research.
Our established relationships with leading health care organizations, non-governmental organizations, government agencies and others provide students and faculty with many opportunities to engage in events, research projects and internships.
Our department's diverse student body includes recent university graduates, professionals and researchers from around the world. We have a robust advising and mentoring program that helps shape each student's career path. For example, MHA students work through detailed individual development plans and PhD students work one-to-one with a graduate faculty advisor.