The College of Business Administration at Florida International University (FIU) has developed an ambitious agenda to provide healthcare management programs that meet the needs of students and healthcare executives interested in a broad spectrum of managerial expertise. From general management and leadership to information and management systems, to healthcare compliance, to risk management…the College will provide a variety of educational and professional programs for students and managers to enhance skills and competencies required for career advancement in the field.

Dr. Joyce J. Elam, Executive Dean, comments "FIU has developed a strong health focus that includes the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, plans for an ambulatory care center and partnerships with both the Florida Department of Health and the Miami-Dade Public Health Department. The College of Business is excited to join this effort and become a center of excellence in providing healthcare management programs."

The College will begin offering a MBA in Healthcare Management in the Fall. This degree provides new focus and increased business expertise while building on the long history of graduate education in health services administration. Dr. Nancy Borkowski, Director of Healthcare Management Programs for the College, relates that the MBA in Healthcare Management was designed to "create an academic environment that focuses on the development of professionally prepared, ethical leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to manage our dynamic healthcare industry. The program emphasizes the practical applications of the concepts and theories of management and business within healthcare settings. In addition, we place particular emphasis on critical thinking, self-development, communication and teambuilding skills, problem-solving competence, and ethical leadership."

Dr. Borkowski says the degree will be offered on weekends and in the community for the convenience of working students. She has already received numerous inquiries and "anticipates a talented and energetic cohort of students." Fall 2010 will also unveil a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Management and a Certificate in Healthcare Compliance. A Risk Management Pre-licensing Healthcare Certificate Program will start in Spring. Dr. Borkowski is working with the College’s Executive and Professional Education division to offer a Physician Leadership Certificate, Business Skills for Public Health Managers and a Certificate in Meaningful Use of Healthcare Technology. An initial foray into global healthcare includes both research and an educational certificate in Healthcare Management with the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) in the Dominican Republic.

Health care IT continues to command attention in the national debate on health care reform as legislators evaluate how its broader use can curb costs and reduce errors. Job opportunities in healthcare IT are estimated to increase by more than 200,000 over the next few years. To take advantage of these opportunities, individuals will need to be well versed in both information systems and the healthcare industry. The Department of Decision Sciences and Information Systems within the College, chaired by Dr. Christos Koulamas, is developing programs to meet these workforce needs. The Department plans a Master’s degree in Health Information and Management Systems as well as a Graduate Certificate. FIU will be the only university in the South Florida region to focus on healthcare information systems in both educational programs and research. Many department faculty are already conducting research in the field. In January, three students (two from Decision Sciences and one from Healthcare Management) received a grant from the Central and North Florida Health Information and Management Systems Society for a research project on Stakeholder Distrust as a Barrier to HIE Participation. The students will conduct this research under the supervision of Drs. Gloria Deckard and Monica Chiarini-Tremblay from the Department, and Dr. Borkowski. Duane Steward, CNFHIMSS HIE Co-Chair, stated that "With this grant, we are confident that the students at FIU, through investigative research and analysis, will be able to identify feasible strategies that can be implemented to help engage health care providers. The ultimate goal is to breakdown the barriers that exist relative to the adoption and participation of HIE, and instead start building a platform of trust in the use of electronic medical record data." Last Fall, the Master of Science in Management Information Systems (MSMIS) program hosted a "Distinguished CIO Lunch and Learn, titled "Health Care Information Systems: Challenges and Cures," which provided multiple perspectives on this and other pressing health information issues.

Poised to excel in healthcare management education and research, the College is developing a fast growing presence in the local healthcare community. Commitment to community partnerships is a core value of FIU’s healthcare initiatives. The College intends to broaden this commitment through engagement of both faculty and students.

Homicide rates have increased in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties since 2004 nearly twice the rate of the national average. For the first time these rates are being examined as more than crime statistics, but statistics that have a significant effect on South Florida’s public health.

With the lives of victims, families and communities drastically altered by these acts of violence, homicide should be considered part of any public health prevention agenda argues Dr. Evelio Velis, associate director for Barry University’s master in health services administration program.

His research is an observational study of homicide victims in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties between 2004 and 2007. Data was obtained from the medical examiner’s office in both counties and was compared to identify associations and differences among selected groups.

His findings are bleak. Although Black Non-Hispanics account for 19 percent of the population in Miami-Dade County, 56 percent of homicide victims are in this ethnic group. The same trend can be seen in Broward County, where 53 percent of homicide victims are Black Non-Hispanics although the group makes up only 23 percent of the population. Likewise, Dr. Velis’ research shows that Hispanics faced a greater risk of being a victim of homicide in 2007 than in 2004 when he began his research.

Most startling, however, is the ages of the victims. In both counties, more than 80 percent of the victims aged between 14 and 17 were killed by gun-related injuries. Almost 90 percent died by this type of injury among victims aged 18 to 24.

According to his research, Velis asserts that a substantial portion of homicide victims are considerably young, with median age decreasing during his research. However, Velis hopes his research will bring attention to this issue across professional lines.

"The active participation of public health professionals should be a constant component in any effort aiming to reduce homicide. Addressing socio-economic factors such as poverty and education must be part of any intervention."

The health care system often is described as fragmented, complex, inefficient, and dehumanizing. Between 40 and 65 percent of the U.S. population uses alternative or complementary therapies, and there is increasing evidence that many of these therapies can be helpful to persons experiencing illness or wanting to stay healthy. Many nurses see the value of incorporating these therapies into their practices in hospitals, long-term care, and primary care.

When nurses discover complementary therapies for healing and growth, such as massage, Reiki or aromatherapy, they often feel they have ‘come home’ to a more natural way of nursing.

One of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing’s newest programs is the Advanced Holistic Nursing Program. The program is one of only seven such degree programs available in the nation.

The program of study consists of 42 credit hours leading to a Master of Science degree in Nursing. Grounded in a philosophy of Caring, this advanced practice focus in holistic nursing follows the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) Essentials of Masters Education for Advanced Practice Nursing and the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) Standards and Core Values for Advanced Holistic Nursing.

Holistic learning space

Faculty who are known for their expertise and scholarship in holistic nursing will guide students in reflective practice and in developing their expertise in selected practice areas. Students may choose to develop nursing expertise in one of three focal areas: mind-body practices, manipulative and body-based practices, or energetic healing practices. Full- and part-time study is available, with courses conveniently offered through online and intensive class formats. Opportunities are available for practice in College of Nursing Centers and other community-based locations. Graduates of this program will be able to sit for Board Certification in Advanced Holistic Nursing (AHN-BC).

Holistic nurses emphasize the care of the whole person in the context of their health situation, whatever it may be. They engage with persons, families, and communities on their unique healing journeys. The focus of our program is to enable nurses to respond from among a wide horizon of holistic modalities in their Caring nursing practice.

Marlaine C. Smith is Associate Dean for Academic Programs and the Helen K. Persson Eminent Scholar at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University. For more information, visit www.nursing.fau.edu.