Master's in Patient Safety and Health Care Quality Degree Emphasis
About the Master’s in Health Care Quality and Patient Safety Online
The Master of Science in Health Administration with an Emphasis in Health Care Quality and Patient Safety gives you the skills and experience necessary to perform as middle and upper-level managers in a variety of health administration organizations. This healthcare quality degree emphasis program aims to teach you how to properly care for patients and educate them on various healthcare matters.
The master’s in healthcare quality and patient safety emphasis provides you with a specialized skillset, allowing you to make a positive impact on patient quality and safety in healthcare. This program emphasizes the conceptual, analytical and application skills required to manage in contemporary healthcare organizations. You will be prepared to serve as an innovative change agent and leader of organizational improvement and adaptation within the health administration industry.
What You Will Study in the Master’s in Patient Safety and Quality Degree Emphasis
Courses for this master’s in healthcare quality and patient safety program are taught by seasoned experts in their respective fields who share extensive knowledge and experience. To finish this 60- credit program, you must pass all courses and complete the required 16-week practicum.
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Careers With a Master’s in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Degree Emphasis
Graduates of the master’s in patient safety and healthcare quality emphasis program are prepared for administrative positions in a variety of settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Outpatient facilities
- Physician offices
- Mental health agencies
- Insurance companies
- Public health agencies
As a graduate of this master’s in patient safety and healthcare quality program, you may go on to pursue jobs such as the following:
- Facility manager
- Medical and health services manager
- Business teacher (postsecondary)
Master’s in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety Emphasis Program FAQs
Read through our frequently asked questions to learn more about careers with a degree in healthcare quality and patient safety.
An online degree warrants the same respect and recognition as a degree that was earned in a traditional on-campus format. Employers typically care more about the accreditation of the university you attended than the way you earned your degree, therefore it’s important to make sure you are earning your degree from a reputable, accredited university.
A quality manager in healthcare works to improve all aspects of patient care, ultimately leading to increased patient safety and improved outcomes. This may include reviewing policies and procedures, working with billing/insurance, claims and litigation, training staff and analyzing performance metrics.
The quality and patient safety in a hospital are dependent on many factors. Often it refers to the measures of a hospital’s effectiveness, timeliness and responsiveness and how they all work together to provide optimal care and prevent harm to patients.
Quality in regard to healthcare refers to how effective an organization is at fulfilling its standards. According to the National Library of Medicine, quality care is characterized as being effective, efficient and safe, while also being patient centered, timely and equitable.1 Patient safety is more simply looked at as preventing harm to patients. With this comes the responsibility of preventing errors, learning from errors and minimizing risks that can compromise patient safety.
1 Retrieved from the National Library of Medicine, Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses, in October 2022.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the health care professions. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success.
Course Description
This course allows learners to develop a comprehensive understanding of contemporary health care models from financial, economic, quality, access, and disparity perspectives, and to relate the ethical, cultural, political, and financial factors that drive and support them. It is from this broad, integrative, and comparative perspective that learners begin defining their role and perspective as administrators within the health care system. Learners begin to investigate their options and define their potential to serve as leaders of systematic improvement, within their health care discipline, based on changes in these driving factors.
Course Description
This course focuses on the recognition, analysis, and resolution of ethical dilemmas in health occupations. Students examine legal liabilities involved in health care administration, including workplace safety and a health care facility’s obligation to provide protection from injury for patients, their families, and staff.
Course Description
This course focuses on health care economics and policy. The core principles of health economics are studied, and students begin to explore practical financial-analysis skills that have immediate application within the health care industry. Students also study managerial decision-making processes based on cost, service, and other economic variables as well as how those decisions influence outcomes. Students will investigate health care policy and reform to understand the impact it makes on everyday practices of health care organizations.
Course Description
This course focuses on the critical analysis of health care research and its application to the administration and delivery of health care services. Emphasis is placed on strategies to access current and relevant data, synthesize the information, and translate new knowledge into practice. Learners are introduced to concepts of measurement, reliability, and validity, as well as ethical issues in the design and conduct of research through an evaluative process of health care initiatives and projects.
Course Description
This course focuses on the analysis of health care organizational structure and effectiveness. Topics include the distributive leadership model, decision making through collaboration and teamwork, and the integrative analysis of how change impacts other components of the system.
Course Description
This course explores the nature of business leadership models and theories, examines these models through a broad variety of insights and viewpoints, and provides a description and analysis of these approaches to leadership, giving special attention to how the models can improve leadership in real-world organizations.
Course Description
This course provides foundational knowledge that will equip learners to make decisions regarding quality improvement and patient safety. Learners explore the quality improvement process and examine the most commonly used models and tools for improving health care quality. Learners will also evaluate methods to track, assess, analyze, and review data relating to patient safety issues. Prerequisite: NUR-590 & NUR-630 or HCA-540.
Course Description
This course focuses on the critical analyses of health care business operations and performance. Topics include analysis of financial performance, operational process analysis, and quality of service evaluation.
Course Description
This course focuses on essential managerial communication skills. Human resource topics include conflict management, negotiation, mediation, and coaching, as well as change management principles and the types of communication required for paradigm modification. Interdepartmental, cross-discipline, and external partner marketing topics are included. Consumer communication and collaboration techniques are also discussed.
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students to meet the professional standards of practice related to their future discipline within the industry. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, utilization of resources, communication strategies, and goal setting. Students prepare a professional portfolio and resume. Students apply various networking techniques and practical interview skills to ensure professional readiness for their chosen health care careers.
Course Description
This course examines the models and approaches of project management in health care settings. Learners demonstrate understanding of the project management process and its application to health care quality and safety initiatives. Learners gain skills to identify various stakeholders and roles, set goals and expectations, plan stakeholder engagement, and identify ways to mitigate obstacles in health care project management. Prerequisite: HQS-610.
Course Description
The focus of this course is to begin integrating all previous study and to identify the focus of students' final capstone project. Students evaluate and integrate the methodologies, considerations, and strategies for project or program design, planning, implementation, and evaluation that are relevant or specifically required by their specific health care discipline. Topics of investigation and consideration include (but are not limited to) financial and economic impact; resource allocation; competition; public and private educational requirements; availability of information technology; impact assessment of change; process improvement assessment; social, behavioral, and environmental impact; legal/ethical issues; and any other factors that impact the provision of care or subsequent outcomes within an organization and community. A collaborative group project approach is emphasized to enhance contribution and consideration from diverse experiences within the health care field. Prerequisite: HLT-610, HCA-610, or HIM-650.
Course Description
This course examines components of implementing health care quality and safety initiatives. Learners examine the elements of change management, identify criteria for success in change areas, and plan phases and goals for implementation. Learners also consider change sustainability and dissemination of successful implementations. Prerequisite: HQS-620.
Course Description
This capstone course provides an opportunity for learners to complete the development of a comprehensive evidence-based project, plan, or proposal that addresses a problem, issue, or concern in their professional practice and can be implemented upon completion of the program. Projects address a problem amenable to research-based intervention; include a relevant and comprehensive literature review; propose a solution; and include a fully developed program, project, or business plan. The project also contains all the necessary information to implement the proposed solution, evaluate its outcome(s), and disseminate the findings. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all courses in the program except HCA-670.
Course Description
This course promotes the synthesis and application of knowledge and skills from the Master of Health Administration (MS-HA) program. Learners identify a mentor and develop a relationship through which they examine the connection between theory and practice. Learners engage in leadership and administrative activities (e.g., committees, projects, staff education, and quality improvement) and, through reflection and writing, analyze and evaluate leadership behaviors and processes. Practicum/field experience hours: 150. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all previous coursework in the program.
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.
Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom.
* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.