University of Scranton MHA Alumni Society

University of Scranton MHA Alumni Council Newsletter - Winter 2017

Message from the Alumni President

Greetings from The University of Scranton Master of Health Administration Alumni Council. We want to take this opportunity to welcome you to an additional means of outreach with graduates of the program. The newsletter is designed to enhance a connection with alumni and recognize developments pertaining to former classmates and current colleagues in the healthcare industry. An Alumni Council Board was recently established and is in the process of finalizing bylaws and strategic plan which will be available soon. Everyone will agree that we all have a continued vested interest and commitment to The University of Scranton based on one common thread - we are graduates of a stellar program which continues to grow, evolve and earn national and international accolades. We look forward to receiving any feedback, perspectives and suggestions that will further enhance the Alumni Council.

- Doug White, MHA Class of '94

Vice President of Sales - Palladian Health, LLC

Save the Date!

ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership - State of Pennsylvania Reception - Tuesday, March 28, 2017 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM CDT. at Mercat a la Planxa (located in the Blackstone Hotel) 638 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60605. For registration and more information.

The 22nd Annual Healthcare Symposium - The University of Scranton Master of Health Administration program, a participant in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Higher Education Network, will host it's 22nd Annual Healthcare Symposium on Thursday, April 6, 2017 . The purpose of the 22nd Annual Healthcare Symposium is to promote closer relationships with the regional community of healthcare professionals, students, and consumers while providing continuing education for professional development. This year's symposium is titled, "Financial Implications: The Push from Inpatient to Outpatient Care " All ACHE members who attend the event will receive ACHE Category I: Face-to-Face Credits.

For registration information contact John Burtis at [email protected]

MHA Golf Tournament - On May 5, 2017 at 2pm, the Master of Health Administration Program with be hosting the Annual MHA Alumni Golf Tournament at The Elmhurst Country Club in Moscow, PA. To RSVP or for more information on directions, registration, tee-off times, and dinner locations, please contact:

John Burtis at [email protected]

Steve Szydlowski at [email protected]

Alumni Career Advancment

Healthcare management is changing dramatically. The landscape has shifted in countless ways, requiring healthcare leaders to engage with different perspectives, insights and knowledge.

ACHE's 2017 Congress on Healthcare Leadership offers endless possibilities and unlimited opportunities to collaborate and "think outside of the box," and to help leaders understand and prepare for the myriad challenges awaiting them inside a transformative healthcare environment.

Healthcare leaders from around the world convene at Congress to:

Access cutting-edge professional development from the nation's top thought leaders
Network with their peers and colleagues from around the globe
Learn innovative solutions that will transform their organizations
Tap into the latest tools and techniques designed to enhance their careers

Attending Congress is one of the most rewarding opportunities of any healthcare leader. For more information or to register, visit ACHE.

- Joseph M Scotchlas, MHA Class of 2012

Administrative Officer - Department of Medicine

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

21st Annual Healthcare Symposium – Telemedicine in the Healthcare Delivery System

The University of Scranton’s Masters of Health Administration program hosted its 21st Annual Healthcare Symposium on April 4, 2016 titled "Telemedicine in the Healthcare Delivery System" which offered 1.5 Category I ACHE Continuing Education Credits.

The program brought in local healthcare leaders to discuss the direction of telemedicine. It was attended by 180 healthcare professionals representing 18 organizations. Our program saw tremendous support from local organizations and had a record attendance. For this, we extend a special thanks to the Eastern Pennsylvania Health Executive Network (EPAHEN) for their support of the event and to Mr. Richard J. Hager, MBA, FACHE, for all of his help with the accreditation of the program.

Study Abroad: Central Eastern Europe

On October 10, 2016, The University of Scranton MHA program in partnership with the University of Central Florida MHA program sent seven students on a study abroad trip to Central and Eastern Europe. On their trip the students had to opportunity to visit and experience the culture of five unique countries: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and the Netherlands. While in Europe, the students were able to see the delivery of healthcare firsthand with a guided tour of the Slovak hospital system in the capital, Bratislava, by Dr. Jozef Suvada, a local Pediatric Oncologist. Additionally, the students were able to present their research to PhD and Master of Public Health students at St. Elizabeth University in Bratislava and at the University of Trnava in Slovakia. For more on the University of Scranton MHA program’s partnership with Slovakia see: A Partnership That has Transcended Time

2016 ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership Conference

In March of 2016, The University of Scranton MHA Student Chapter had 16 program members attend the 2016 ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership Conference in Chicago, Illinois. An event attended by healthcare leaders across the nation, students were exposed to networking opportunities and were able to learn about current and future healthcare trends that will shape the future healthcare system. At the conference, the University of Scranton Student Chapter was able to attend an EPAHEN and HLNDV sponsored Alumni reception to bring together the current and past students, and faculty members.

October 20, 2016: University of Scranton MHA students presented at the HFMA (Healthcare Financial Management Association) Conference at the Radisson hotel in Scranton on the topic "Millennial's perspective on Telemedicine".

September 19, 2016: Great turnout for the Scranton ACHE Chapter's 2nd Annual "How to Survive a Golf Outing". Students were able to hit the course for 9 holes in a best ball scramble tournament and learn the basics of golf rules and etiquette.

Faculty Achievement

The University of Scranton MHA Alumni Council recognizes the accomplishments of Daniel J. West, Chairman and Professor in the Department of Health Administration and Human Resources, on his contributions to the global healthcare management textbook, Advance in Global Health Management and Policy. As one of four co-editors, West, along with Michael Counte (Saint Louis University), Dr. Bernardo Ramirez (University of Central Florida) and Dr. Bill Aaronson (Temple University), is in the process of publishing the book with Health Administration Press (ACHE) for 2017. The book has three major sections with a total of 14 chapters. All chapters are written by domestic and international authors and are focused on the application and integration of global competencies . This text is innovative because i t is one of the only books that focuses on how to manage international/global healthcare projects and systems.

2016 Case Competitions

In spring 2016, MHA students Aimee Miller, Prudence Akindo, and Christopher Maglione represented The University of Scranton at the 2016 University of Alabama Case Competition. The UAB Health Administration Case Competition provides graduate students from CAHME-accredited programs an opportunity to put what they have learned into practice with a real-life, real-time case. It is designed to be a capstone experience for graduate students across the United States and Canada, and is meant to be a challenging and rewarding process for student participants who receive real-world, invaluable feedback from experts in the healthcare field.

On October 1 2 , 201 6 , Emmanuel Yeboah Addo and Ryan Stillman r epresented the University of Scranton's MHA program at the 201 6 National Association for Health Services Executives’ (NAHSE) 2 1st Everett V. Fox Student Case Competition.

The NAHSE Case Competition is an educational opportunity that utilizes the case study teaching method to provide minority graduate students with an education experience that enhances their problem analysis, critical thinking and presentation skills while further exposing them to real-life health service administration issues. Participants have utilized the experience to place themselves into various fellowships, managerial and executive leadership positions, and consulting roles in the nation’s most prestigious organizations.

Since 1996, over 56 Universities participated in the NASHE Case Competition. Graduate Programs in Health Administration form a team of t wo to t hree minority students.

Meet Our Alumni - Neel Pathak

Neel Pathak, MHA is responsible for business development initiatives for the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) within the healthcare employer and academic communities.

Mr. Pathak has five years of progressive management experience in diverse settings including major health systems, healthcare associations, accrediting organizations, and academic institutions.

Mr. Pathak is a skilled clinician, an experienced administrator, and a strong advocate of process excellence initiatives with an experience of serving as a Baldrige Examiner through Illinois Performance Excellence.

Prior to joining CAHME, Mr. Pathak was involved in the national quality improvement initiatives with the American Hospital Association’s affiliate Health Research & Educational Trust. He also completed an Administrative Fellowship with Aramark Healthcare at OhioHealth.

Mr. Pathak received a master’s degree in Health Administration from the University of Scranton and a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy from Manipal University, India.

Mr. Pathak will be presenting at this years ACHE Congress on the topic: Establishing and Maintaining Leadership Excellence by Embracing Continuing Professional Development. For details.

To meet Neel and other Alumni join the Health Administration Alumni Association on LinkedIn!

Message from the Program Director

Dear fellow MHA Alumni and and friends,

I am delighted to share with you some recent news regarding the MHA program. You will be happy to hear that our program continues to grow and be recognized with other top MHA programs in the country. We continue to maintain our CAHME accreditation. Our next CAHME site visit is in Spring of 2021. Our graduates continue to enjoy gainful employment with employment rates in the averaging around 95%. About 80% of our graduate are employed in health systems an hospitals, with the remaining 20% in long term care, physician practice management, population health, and other settings. Our MHA students are competing at national case competitions and continue to be active with ACHE. Many of them will see you at our MHA Alumni Council networking reception at ACHE Congress in Chicago, March 2017. I personally want to thank you for your commitment to the University of Scranton and our MHA students. Your mentorship and coaching with our students is invaluable. Our faculty and students look forward to seeing you at an upcoming MHA Alumni Council event. We hope to see you at the Annual MHA Alumni golf outing on May 5.

Dr. Szydlowski

MHA Program Director

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