Learning methods

The programme is based on participative learning, assuming participants’ own
responsibility for their professional and personal development. Learning methods include case studies, discussion, role-play and group work.
This topic gives an overview of different health care systems and relationships that are formed between organizations – the corner stones of the industry. Significant differences will be demonstrated in operations of not-for-profit organizations and for-profit health care organizations. Finally, strategic planning will be reviewed and practiced using the Balanced Scorecard Approach of Kaplan and Norton. This dynamic tool allows for planning consideration of all managerial aspects of operations which have impact on achieving the financial goals of the organization.

Customer Relationship Management

This topic develops strategies for customizing services to the needs of patients/ customers. It helps understand how to balance a patient’s expectations/the quality of a service and high capacity turnover. The topic will also provide basic concepts to achieve service excellence, manage relationships with the community and suppliers, and develop strategic options to generate extra revenue while maintaining patient safety and patient satisfaction. The source of material for this discussion will include extracts by F. Lee and by Pine and Gilmore.

Finance and Budgeting

This module presents an international and up-to-date overview of three main topics as follows: Methods of how a community decides on its total health budget, how the funds may be raised (through general taxes, employment- based health insurance, etc.), and how responsibilities for generating finances may be allocated. Further, methods of how care provider agencies (hospitals, health centres, family doctor practices, home care services, etc.) may be contracted and paid; the focus will be on how purchasing agencies (health insurers, health ministries, etc.) can implement contracts that benefit all parties – payer, provider, and consumer. Finally, methods of revenue maximization will be discussed. The main focus will be on expenditure control since it provides a significant part of potential for performance improvement. Key ideas will include the fact that every clinical decision is also a financial decision, and that reduced spending does not necessarily mean reduced quality of care. Various tools will be presented that support the management of care processes.

Leadership

The leadership topic extends the CRM track. An emphasis will be made on good and effective management to achieve high performance organization, which requires and results in high quality and good relations. During this track participants will go further with understanding of the service quality and what it takes to achieve the best results personally, as a team, and as an organization.