VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - Valdosta State University said the healthcare managers it is educating will benefit south Georgians by helping to eliminate a shortage.
VSU is offering a bachelor of Business Administration in healthcare administration degree program through the Harvey Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration.
" ... There’s a shortage of people who are familiar with the business side of healthcare, which directly affects the overall quality of the healthcare process,” said Dr. Gary Hackbarth, professor of management and healthcare administration. “The deficiency is found all across the nation, including in South Georgia.
The bachelor of business administration in healthcare administration degree program is producing graduates capable of supporting the healthcare field through accounting, finance, logistics, marketing, office and project management, information technology, disaster preparedness and data analysis.
"They’re the same kinds of jobs any large business has, but they’re focused on the needs and issues that are specific to the healthcare industry,” Hackbarth said.
In addition to business expertise, healthcare administration students acquire knowledge on healthcare coding, insurance, ethics and law.
"Healthcare is highly regulated, so there’s a lot for our students to know and be aware of," Hackbarth said. "We make sure they are prepared and ready to go when they leave here."
Students are also exposed to Systems, Applications, and Products (SAP) technology, information software used by 82 percent of medical devices worldwide.
A staple of the bachelor of business administration in healthcare administration degree program is the internships that students complete.
"As interns, they’re already contributing to the healthcare industry even before they graduate,” Hackbarth said.
Some students are paid to intern at large hospitals and doctors’ offices in the area, while other students volunteer for unpaid internships at hospices and other nonprofits in an effort to give back to the community and gain experience for the next phase of their lives.
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