According to Dr. Mark Laney, president and CEO of Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, population health is the new direction in healthcare today, and this fall, Missouri Western began offering the first bachelor\u2019s degree in population health management in the country.<\/p>\n
In early 2015, Mosaic Life Care pledged $1.5 million as part of the Centennial Capital Campaign to endow a professorship in the field of population health. Missouri Western received approval from the Coordinating Board for Higher Education for the program, and a search for the new faculty position began this fall. The gift is the first endowed professorship in Missouri Western history.<\/p>\n
Dr. Kathleen O\u2019Connor, dean of Professional Studies, explained that population health represents a shift in healthcare focus from individuals\u2019 health issues to the health of the population. \u201cIt steps beyond the individual-level focus of traditional clinical and preventive medicine by addressing a broad range of factors that impact health of entire populations.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the population health focus has three aims: improving the health of the population, enhancing the experiences of patient care and reducing costs. \u201cThere is a need for a holistic approach in order to move the population to a healthier lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coursework includes biology, sociology, psychology, medical terminology, epidemiology, healthcare policy, ethics, analytics, communication and business. Students may select between four concentrations: computer information systems, general business, health informatics and human health. They will also be required to complete an internship as part of the degree program.<\/p>\n
Dr. O\u2019Connor said careers in the field include work in hospitals, insurance companies, or government and health care technology settings. Dr. Laney noted that Mosaic Life Care already has employees working in the population health field, and they hope to hire more.<\/p>\n
\u201cPopulation health is the future of healthcare,\u201d Dr. Laney said. \u201cThere is a real need for individuals who have an understanding of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Laney said Mosaic Life Care will also provide adjunct instructors for the program who have experience in the population health management field.<\/p>\n
Dr. Stephanie Corder, associate professor of nursing and chair of the Department of Nursing and Allied Health, said the degree offers another option for Missouri Western students who want to work in the health care field.<\/p>\n
The Mosaic Life Care president and CEO noted that the intensive focus on population health management came about as a result of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. The Act addressed population health issues such as expanding insurance coverage, improving the quality of care delivered, enhancing prevention and health promotion measures within the health care delivery system, incentivizing providers to take responsibility for population health outcomes and expanding primary health care training. The Act also created a national council to promote community and population-based activities.<\/p>\n
\u201cMosaic and Missouri Western have been partners in the work of educating tomorrow\u2019s health caregivers for many years,\u201d Dr. Laney said. \u201cI\u2019m pleased that we have strengthened that partnership. This is a wonderful collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are a lot of exciting possibilities,\u201d Dr. Corder said. \u201cWe\u2019re really on the cusp of something huge.\u201d<\/p>\n
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