Online Master’s in Patient Safety & Healthcare Quality Programs
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Master’s in patient safety and healthcare quality programs can help healthcare professionals meet the growing need for patient-centric care, where the emphasis shifts toward the quality and effectiveness of care at both a personal and institutional level.
“Given the recent ‘only pay for quality performance’ outcome measures, the demand for safety science and quality training will continue to grow for the next decade,” according to Dr. Anne Gunderson, the associate dean for clinical education innovation at Georgetown University Medical Center (profiled below). She refers to recent shifts by health policymakers away from the traditional United States fee-for-service model. That model doesn’t hold healthcare providers accountable for quality or efficiency but pays them based on the quantity and complexity of their services. In other words, there’s a financial incentive to deliver as many services as possible, irrespective of costs or health outcomes, and this influences providers.
Concerned over massive healthcare expenditures and relatively low care quality relative to other nations, policymakers have started shifting towards alternative payment models that encourage higher quality at lower costs. For example, the Affordable Care Act expands pay-for-performance programs in Medicare and encourages experimentation to evaluate effectiveness. Also, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2015 started driving aggressively towards what many now call “value-based” or “quality-based” reimbursement. Rather than continuing to reward volume over care quality, CMS announced that by the end of 2018, 50 percent of fee-for-service Medicare payments would become value-based. In addition, the Healthcare Transformation Task Force, a recently formed alliance of provider groups and insurers including Blue Cross and Aetna, committed to shifting 75 percent of their contracts into value-based payment arrangements as early as 2020.
| Featured Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Programs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon University | MSHCA - Health Care Quality and Patient Safety | View Program Details |
| Grand Canyon University | MSN - Health Care Quality and Patient Safety | View Program Details |
| Arizona State University | Master of International Health Management (MIHM) - Quality Improvement in Healthcare Track | View Program Details |
| The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences | MSHS - Health Care Quality | View Program Details |
| The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences | Graduate Certificate - Health Care Quality | View Program Details |
This sudden pressure to improve care quality is creating rapid growth in this new field, driving a particular demand for leaders with advanced knowledge and expertise in patient quality and safety systems. George Washington University cites job board listings from the National Association for Healthcare Quality. It includes titles such as:
- Clinical director, quality services
- Clinical nurse auditor
- Compliance auditor analyst
- Director of quality management
- Healthcare manager
- Healthcare quality analyst
- Quality and safety specialist
- Quality assurance consultant
- Quality improvement nurse
Innovative healthcare quality and safety programs offering predominantly online curricula like those in the following profiles can offer students significant flexibility. That’s because recent instructional technology advances now provide an online educational experience equivalent to instruction on campus, yet unconstrained by distance or time. As a result, these online quality and safety programs offer opportunities to students who cannot leave jobs to attend classes on campus, or who wish to attend better out-of-state universities without the expense and hassle of relocation. Plus, for students who want to learn at their own pace, personalized online education provides an attractive alternative; motivated and gifted students, in particular, can thrive at the accelerated pace made possible by these online programs.
Online programs also save students money. Even when tuition rates are identical, the online programs can present more cost-effective alternatives to on-campus programs because of savings on costs like relocation, childcare, and transportation.
The following guide presents profiles of nine master’s in patient safety and healthcare quality degree programs offered online, seven provided entirely online, with two programs requiring brief campus visits. They include seven specialized healthcare quality and safety master’s degree programs, along with two closely-related programs: one in nursing and an MBA program.
Featured Online Master’s in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Programs
Two online degree programs in healthcare quality at GWU share common core coursework for a healthcare quality graduate certificate that counts towards both degrees, although per-hour tuition differs substantially (see below). The first is a master’s degree in healthcare quality offered by the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The second is an online healthcare MBA offered by the School of Business.
First, along with the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), GWU developed the online master of science in health sciences (MSHS) in health care quality program for patient safety and quality leaders to advance their careers and meet the growing demand for patient-centered, quality-based care. Coursework for the healthcare quality graduate certificate is equivalent to the first half of the master’s degree. Along with safe practices, risk assessments, and environmental updates, the program emphasizes leadership, collaboration, and organizational change combined with health policy development, implementation and measurement.
The school touts rigorous academics along with an expert practitioner faculty and extensive networking opportunities as advantages over competing programs. This program requires at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and healthcare experience.
Second, and by contrast, GWU’s School of Business differentiates their online healthcare MBA program by offering a wide range of course options that empower students to better align their “personalized curriculum” with professional goals. This is how students may complete within the curriculum the health care quality graduate certificate mentioned above. The certificate courses on healthcare quality improvement, measurement, data management, analysis, and patient safety systems all fit into MBA curriculum allocations for 12 hours of healthcare-focused electives plus 12 hours of general electives. The school’s 31.5 hours of business core requirements also includes a healthcare management foundations course, a requirement unique among the schools surveyed for our guides.
Along with a bachelor’s degree and invitation-only interviews, the school requires the GMAT but offers waivers for applicants with five years of work experience. Employer reimbursement and monthly payment plans are available for tuition, although the school charges $1,000 to process an applicant’s personal statement. U.S. News and World Report also ranked the university #5 in best online master’s in nursing programs, tied with Johns Hopkins University.
- Location: Washington, DC
- Tuition: $925 per credit-hour, $33,300 for the full 36-credit degree (MSHS); $1,765 per credit-hour, $97,958 for the full 55.5-credit degree (MBA)
- Time to Completion: 21 months
- Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, a unit of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Arizona State University offers an online master of international health management degree program in partnership with the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. This program is available online and does not require any campus visits.
The program features the following four learning tracks: hospital management, health informatics, health economics, and quality improvement in healthcare.
The quality improvement in healthcare track is designed for those professionals who wish to improve the overall quality of care being delivered to patients. The track focuses on clinical governance, leadership, risk management, and patient-centered care.
The program offers students an inside look at some of the most pressing global health challenges, along with the experience and knowledge needed for making an impact on healthcare around the world. The faculty for the program includes distinguished professors who continue to actively engage with the international healthcare community.
Admission requirements include a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in a related field, a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0, official transcripts, graduate admission application, a current resume, three letters of reference, personal statement, and proof of English proficiency.
The program comprises 30 credit-hours. Core courses of the program include healthcare management and finance, and comparative healthcare systems.
Courses in the different tracks are as follows:
- Quality improvement in healthcare track – high-value patient-centered care, process engineering, health leadership and workforce management, and clinical governance and risk management
- Hospital management track – high-value patient-centered care, process engineering, healthcare economics and financial management, and health leadership and workforce management
- Health informatics track – applied biostatistics in medicine and informatics, fundamentals of health informatics, health informatics database modeling & applications, and healthcare systems and design
- Health economics track – healthcare systems and design, health economics, policy, and payment models, economic evaluation in healthcare, and healthcare economics and financial management
Through this program, students obtain experience and specialized knowledge for improving healthcare systems across the globe, and gain a fundamental understanding of management and leadership, including economics, policy, development, and finance.
The program opens up several opportunities for graduates in outpatient clinics, nonprofit organizations, medical facilities, and more. They can take up roles such as hospital administrator, clinic manager, healthcare consultant, process improvement professional, and population health analyst.
- Location: Tempe, Arizona
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $881 per credit-hour
A joint effort among four of Johns Hopkins’ top-ranked schools developed this part-time, 100 percent online patient safety and healthcare quality (PSHQ) master’s program. Those schools include the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, and the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality.
To educate students in the mechanisms and protocols that improve outcomes and reduce preventable patient harm, the program combines coursework from Hopkins’ top schools with Armstrong’s pioneering patient safety advances. Along with encouraging organizational change and patient-centric care, the curriculum focuses on preventing patient harm through designing safer systems and measuring safety and quality. Introductory topics begin with public health, quality of care for practitioners, and patient safety science. Students must also complete two epidemiology courses and three quality and safety courses involving case studies, measurement, and evaluation.
With 20 years’ experience and 150 online courses currently available, the Hopkins team prides itself as the industry leader in online education. As explained by PSHQ Program Director Dr. Albert Wu in this 2018 Virtual Open House video, the team claims to offer engaging course content well beyond “just PowerPoint slides.” Although Hopkins designed the program not to require healthcare industry experience, the school counts among the 48 students currently enrolled 20 physicians and 15 nurses. Admission requires a bachelor’s degree with evidence of strong academic performance and at least three years of healthcare industry experience, but no GMAT or GRE scores.
U.S. News and World Report ranked the university #1 in best graduate public health schools, #4 in best graduate health policy and management programs, #2 in best medical schools: research, #2 in best nursing schools: master’s, #2 in best nursing schools: doctor of nursing practice, and #5 in best online master’s in nursing programs.
- Location: Baltimore, MD
- Tuition: $672 per credit-hour (includes $419 OPAL Scholarship), $32,256 for the full 48-credit degree
- Time to Completion: Two to four years
- Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, a unit of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
During the online master of science in patient safety leadership program, students first develop strategies for proposing and implementing process improvements within healthcare organizations. They then review historical approaches to patient safety and quality care and discover newer strategies for quality improvement and risk reduction, including information systems applications. Additionally, they learn principles to improve communications, resolve conflict, and train teams.
A “continuous capstone” project is also required, and the University of Illinois requires a three-day residency at the school’s medical center in Chicago, which provides “active, in-person, experiential learning, collaboration, and community-building with faculty and fellow students.”
The university designed the program for working professionals in patient safety and quality healthcare delivery, both clinical and non-clinical. The program requires an undergraduate degree, with graduate work preferred, and a 2.75 cumulative GPA at both levels. No entrance examinations are necessary.
U.S. News and World Report ranked the university #4 in nursing administration, #4 in best nursing-midwifery programs, #18 in best nursing schools: master’s, and #12 in best nursing schools: doctor of nursing practice.
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Tuition: $770 per credit-hour, $27,720 for the degree
- Time to Completion: Two years
- Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Georgetown differentiates their online executive master’s degree in clinical quality, safety and leadership (CQSL) by “sustained interprofessional learning,” which is “when students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes,” as stated by the World Health Organization.
According to the University of Toronto,
Teamwork in healthcare is often referred to as Interprofessional Practice. Interprofessional practice results in the collaborative, comprehensive care that our clients/patients value and expect. The goal of interprofessional education is to prepare health professional students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for collaborative interprofessional practice.
The Georgetown curriculum reflects this emphasis on interprofessional practice through a “continuous capstone.” This arrangement differs from the capstone requirement at most schools (e.g., Johns Hopkins) where the project takes place after the completion of other course requirements. Another distinction is the Georgetown’s faculty collaboration with the MedStar Health system that operates Georgetown University Hospital and nine others in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. region, which may provide close experience with a broader range of patient safety issues.
Introduced in the fall of 2017, this flexible full-time or part-time program only requires an undergraduate degree; no work experience or entrance examinations appear necessary. The program also requires a four-day intensive residency, which enables learners to practice applying tools and principles introduced online with cohort members in person.
- Location: Washington DC
- Tuition: $2,065 per credit-hour, $66,080 for the full 32-credit degree
- Time to Completion: 16 months minimum
- Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, a unit of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
“Tailored to fit you and your busy life,” states the University of Alabama Birmingham’s page for the master’s of science in healthcare quality and safety degree. In fact, this program does seem to be the most flexible of those evaluated for this guide, mostly because the program doesn’t group students into cohorts, and students can complete all assignments on their schedule. UAB intends to enable working students to lead clinical and non-clinical process improvement initiatives to improve patient safety outcomes, and “to inspire, mold and grow change agents around them” to that end as well.
UAB requires candidates to have at least an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited university with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0 for the last 60 hours. The school also requires at least two years of relevant experience in healthcare, but no GMAT or GRE scores.
U.S. News and World Report ranked the university #32 in the best medical schools: research category, #2 in best healthcare management programs, #8 in best nursing schools: master’s, and #8 in best nursing schools: doctor of nursing practice.
- Location: Birmingham, AL
- Tuition: $1,658 per credit-hour, $59,693 for the full 36-credit degree (non-residents); $663 per credit-hour, $23,877 for the full 36-credit degree (Alabama residents)
- Time to Completion: Two years
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Drexel’s online master of science in quality, safety, and risk management in healthcare program prepares graduates to lead efforts that improve and monitor quality metrics, enhance safety for both patients and staff, and manage risks in a dynamic environment. This interdisciplinary program is intended for healthcare professionals seeking to develop capabilities to assess, monitor, and improve outcomes in hospitals and other healthcare organizations.
The program requires virtual simulation experiences and a short on-campus experience in simulation labs in Philadelphia, which allow students “to apply principles learned throughout the program to realistic, high stakes, simulation activities.”
The school requires applicants to have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and recommends a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Specific clinical work or volunteer experience is not required, but may make applications more competitive.
- Location: Philadelphia, PA
- Tuition: $940 per credit-hour, $45,120 for the full 48-credit degree
- Time to Completion: 3.25 years (one class per quarter)
- Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, a unit of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
Unlike the other programs profiled for this guide, SNHU’s online master of science in nursing (MSN) in patient safety and quality program confers a nursing degree. Registered nurses with an interest in clinical safety and quality may find this program attractive if they already hold a degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA from an accredited BSN program and an active RN license without encumbrances. Also, SNHU extends an additional 25 percent tuition discount for veterans.
- Location: Manchester NH
- Tuition: $627 per credit-hour, $24,453 for the degree
- Time to Completion: 15 months minimum (estimated)
- Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC), Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Sam Houston State designed their online executive master of science in healthcare quality and safety program to prepare busy healthcare professionals for leadership roles in the quality and safety areas in healthcare organizations like hospitals and clinics. Unlike the University of Alabama’s program, this is a 16-month cohort program, with a new cohort starting each fall semester. Students can select either a thesis or non-thesis option.
The admissions office prefers applicants with healthcare work experience, either in clinical or non-clinical settings. Like many, this school requires an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Surprisingly, SHSU also requires official scores for the GRE, GMAT, MCAT, DAT, LSAT, USMLE, or other graduate school entrance exams within the last five years; waivers may be available. Furthermore, the university requires two writing samples plus an on-campus or video interview. The school does not accept international applicants.
- Location: Huntsville, TX
- Tuition: $336 per credit-hour, $10,749 for the full 32-credit degree
- Time to Completion: 16 months
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Admission Requirements: Online Master’s in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Programs
From the programs above, here are typical, common application requirements to earn admission to these online master’s in patient safety and healthcare quality programs:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Competitive GPAs from undergraduate universities (most require at least a 3.0)
- Professional experience with a healthcare organization (e.g., Johns Hopkins requires three years, Alabama requires two)
- Some schools ask for GMAT or GRE scores, but often waive testing for students meeting each school’s specific requirements
- A personal statement of objectives
- Letters of recommendation
- International students must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Professors to Know from Schools with Online Master’s in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Programs
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Anne J. Gunderson, GNP, MS, EdD - Georgetown University
Dr. Gunderson serves as the associate dean for innovation in clinical education and as a professor of medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine. At Georgetown, she also holds an appointment as the director of the executive master’s degree program in clinical quality, safety, and leadership and serves as the assistant vice president for education, safety, and quality at MedStar Health in Columbia, MD. Her skill in strategic planning and curriculum design distinguished Dr. Gunderson’s 17 years in academic medicine. Previously, she served as associate dean for medical education at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and developed the master of science degree in patient safety leadership at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. The U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, the D.W. Reynolds Foundation, the John A. Hartford Foundation, and several state-level grants have funded her influential research. A board-certified geriatric nurse practitioner, Dr. Gunderson holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in nursing administration from Marquette University, as well as a doctorate in educational leadership.
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Carole Hemmelgarn, MS, MS - University of Illinois
With 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Professor Hemmelgarn serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago teaching error science, risk, and disclosure to graduate students. Previously, she served on the faculty at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. Notably, she is involved in patient safety work across the nation and around the world. She serves on the Patient and Family Engagement Committee for Solutions for Patient Safety, and the Quality and Safety Patient and Family Advisory Council at MedStar Health in Columbia, MD. Additionally, she serves on the Patient Safety and Reliability Committee and Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes Collaborative for Children’s Hospital Colorado; the Clinical Excellence Council for the Colorado Hospital Association; and the Board of Directors for the Collaborative for Accountability and Improvement. She is interested in communication and resolution programs, healthcare communication, and storytelling in healthcare. She earned a master’s degree in healthcare ethics from Creighton University before earning a master of science degree in patient safety leadership from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago.
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Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD - Formerly Johns Hopkins University
Time Magazine named Dr. Pronovost one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008. A world-renowned patient safety champion and practicing critical care physician, Dr. Pronovost earned Time’s accolade for his scientific work leveraging checklists to reduce catheter-related bloodstream infections. As he explains in this inspiring video, that discovery has saved thousands of lives worldwide. Many other high-profile awards soon followed, including a 2008 MacArthur Foundation “genius grant.” Elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2011, Dr. Pronovost serves as an advisor to the World Health Organization’s World Alliance for Patient Safety and regularly addresses the United States Congress on patient safety issues. He served as the university’s senior vice president of patient safety and quality and director of the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. He earned his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University, his M.D. from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and his Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Notably, he recently departed JHU to join UnitedHealthcare as the senior vice president for clinical strategy, which he tweeted was a “great opportunity to improve care for millions.”