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According to a recent survey from the American College of Healthcare Executives, the top concern facing hospitals — for the second year in a row — is the ongoing staffing shortage, knocking financial challenges down to second place after a 16-year reign.
The pressures at the root of the staffing shortage, mainly burnout and post-pandemic stress, are not likely to ease soon. An analysis of EMSI data suggests a critical shortage of 3.2 million healthcare workers by 2026. As healthcare facilities increase wages in an effort to both recruit and retain staff, resources are even further stretched.
In the midst of this crisis, the healthcare industry is evolving rapidly, multiplying the demand for skilled professionals. As such, there are growing opportunities outside the traditional patient care path for non-clinical employees like medical and health services managers to positively impact their workplace. An October 2023 report from the CDC found that increased trust between proactive and supportive managers and their employees may significantly alleviate workplace stress.
In an effort to help both clinical and non-clinical employees progress, Intermountain Health launched the PEAK Education Program in late 2021. The program offers current employees or their immediate family members up to $5,250 each year in tuition coverage at several selected institutions, including four Utah institutions of higher education.
While covered programs range from high school completion to university degrees, one of the highly convenient, 100% online options offered through PEAK is the Bachelor of Applied Science in Healthcare Administration at Utah Tech University.
Meant for those who already have an associate degree and some experience in the healthcare field, the BAS introduces students to functional roles in healthcare, teaches expanded leadership skills, and helps refine career goals. In short, the BAS is designed to help jumpstart a career, leading to a bigger paycheck and more responsibility.
"This program taught me how to be a leader and to be my best self," Dustin Allen, a recent graduate of Utah Tech said.
"Students may not know all the roles available–hospital administration, clinic administration, data analysis, and decision support – there are so many options. There are about 1.5 jobs for every employee in the field, so our students have their pick," program director Tiffany Vickers said. "And because the Bachelor of Applied Science in Healthcare Administration degree takes about a year and is so affordable. It's helping our students take the next step in their career – that's a big outcome for a relatively small investment."
The BAS is taught on the block schedule with each class taking about six weeks to complete. It requires about 45 total credits to be completed. The program costs a flat $255 per credit hour, and because it's a fully online program, eliminates the need to be near a given school, travel regularly to a campus, or rearrange job or family duties to study and complete.
"That was the best thing about taking online classes, was just that you can do it anywhere that you want, and your family might not even know that you're doing it … It's not that hard. It's just really not that hard," UT Online student Susan Leatham said.
Whether your employer offers tuition benefits or not, Utah Tech's BAS in Healthcare Administration is one of the state's most affordable and quick ways to advance in the healthcare industry. To learn more about the BAS in Healthcare Administration, visit online.utahtech.edu/programs/basha or contact program director Tiffany Vickers at tiffany.vickers@utahtech.edu.
If you are an employee of Intermountain Health and are interested in the PEAK Education Program, speak with your HR representative or visit intermountain.instride.com to learn more.
