WGU Indiana’s Master of Health Leadership Degree Realigned to Support Changing Healthcare Industry Needs

Indianapolis – WGU Indiana’s Master of Health Leadership (MHL) program has been realigned to meet today’s health leadership needs, enabling graduates to lead organizations in delivering the right support at the right time. The MHL provides skills and tools to deliver innovative and value-based care and manage change related to Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and other new health initiatives.

Offered by WGU Indiana’s College of Health Professions, the MHL is a flexible, online degree program designed for experienced healthcare leaders seeking a master's degree to grow within key leadership roles in health-associated industries and fields.

Created in collaboration with experts and leaders in major healthcare roles, the MHL was developed through a process that ensures its coursework is relevant to today’s health needs. Courses include Analytical Methods of Health Leaders, Healthcare Models and Systems, Healthcare Information Technology, Population Healthcare Coordination and more. Students can apply now and begin their MHL program as early as May 1, 2018.
“This Master of Health Leadership program provides the training needed to be an effective leader in U.S. healthcare today,” said Dr. Jan Jones-Schenk, WGU’s academic vice president of the College of Health Professions and chief nursing officer. “The emphasis on value-based care, innovation, health IT and analytics, population care and person-centered models of care will help address key skills gaps in our current workforce.”

Value-based care is a shift in the way we think about health. It focuses on outcomes, rather than processes, in care delivery. Quality is a fundamental aspect of value in this model, which supports the quadruple aim in healthcare: balancing quality, patient experience, cost and care team well-being. WGU Indiana’s MHL program focuses on all of these elements and prepares students to visualize and address the full picture of leading in a rapidly transforming industry.

“Value-based care has become critical in the effort to provide patients with more control over their care in our country and to ensure health outcomes that correspond to health care costs,” said WGU Indiana Chancellor Allison Barber. “As an online university, WGU Indiana is agile and able to respond in a timely way to industry changes and workplace needs. We’ve adapted the Master of Health Leadership program in direct response to the needs of the ever-changing healthcare field and to ensure that our students are prepared for success in today’s workforce.”

Like all WGU Indiana online degree programs, the MHL is ideal for working professionals who need the flexibility to study on a schedule that fits their lives. WGU Indiana’s competency-based education model measures learning rather than time. With individualized faculty instruction and support, students move through course materials as quickly as they are able, advancing as soon as they demonstrate subject-matter mastery. Prior work experience and academic knowledge can enable students to accelerate their progress, saving both time and money. Flat-rate tuition per six-month term is affordable, at $3,750 (regardless of the number of courses).

About WGU Indiana

WGU Indiana offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate online degree programs in business, education, information technology and healthcare, including nursing.
According to a 2016 Harris Poll, 95 percent of WGU graduates are employed, 87 percent of them in their degree field. According to a 2016 Gallup study, WGU graduates are more likely than graduates from other U.S. universities to have the jobs they want, feel engaged at work and have an emotional attachment to their alma mater. In 2012, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education recognized WGU Indiana for its contributions to the Commission’s “Reaching Higher, Achieving More” agenda for excellence in academic quality.
WGU Indiana has helped more than 5,000 Hoosiers achieve their dream of completing a college degree. Another 5,000 students are currently enrolled. For information about WGU Indiana’s degree programs and scholarships, visit indiana.wgu.edu.