Glenn Sulmasy is the provost and chief academic officer for Bryant University. The university this month is launching its Innovative Healthcare Leadership Graduate certificate program, which is aimed at helping to improve collaboration between business and health care leaders. Sulmasy spoke with Providence Business News about the program and how it will help graduates.
PBN: What was the impetus of starting this new certificate program?
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SULMASY: As the health care industry continues to evolve, Bryant University has taken a cutting-edge approach to education that recognizes the interdisciplinary nature of the sector. The Innovative Healthcare Leadership Graduate certificate program builds on nearly 160 years of excellence in business education and our commitment to leading in the growing health care sector to meet emerging market demands. This program is the next natural step in Bryant’s evolution toward contributing in the health care arena, which is now nearly 18% of the U.S.’s gross domestic product.
The IHCL Graduate certificate expands on the university’s programs in the School of Health Sciences, including the physician assistant program, which welcomed its first class in 2014, and the recently launched Center for Health and Behavioral Sciences.
PBN: What will students learn throughout the program?
SULMASY: The IHCL’s strategically designed integrated curriculum will provide a solid foundation in leadership, innovation, creative thinking and best practices in the business of health care. With this unique approach, students will learn how to create and implement collaborative and innovative solutions that can be adapted and implemented in their organizations and beyond.
PBN: During the pandemic, business operations and health care have become intertwined. Was that also an element in creating this new program?
SULMASY: Yes. Bryant has a deep-rooted history of providing a truly interdisciplinary educational experience. The value of this educational approach is seen and is required in many sectors, including health care. Health care administrators and clinicians have increasingly recognized the interdependence and the need for more collaboration and integration. The pandemic has highlighted and intensified this need.
Bryant alumni have been distinguished leaders in the business of health care for decades. For example, Dr. Paari Gopalakrishnan, chief medical officer for Kent [County Memorial] Hospital, who is leading operations for the COVID-19 field hospital in Cranston, is a 2009 Bryant MBA [graduate]. He knew early on that to be successful in the practice of medicine, it was critical to also understand the best business practices. As the sector grows, we see the opportunity for Bryant to contribute at increasing levels, leveraging our historic strengths with a forward-looking, innovative approach to meeting current demands and those of the future.
PBN: How will this program help graduates enhance their capabilities across the clinical and business spectrum?
SULMASY: Through this four-course curriculum – Innovative Healthcare Leadership and Design Thinking; Innovative Practice Management; Healthcare Law and Ethics; and the Business of Healthcare – students will apply a design-thinking approach to the study and analysis of the challenges facing the industry and will be able to apply what they learn immediately.
The design-thinking aspect of the program is what ties everything together and gets people thinking beyond intellectual borders. This way of thinking breaks traditional silos, which tend to slow or impede innovation. It enhances the student’s ability to connect seemingly disparate ideas and develop innovative solutions. Our faculty are recognized researchers and leading experts in design thinking, giving us a big competitive advantage in the market.
An additional benefit is that students can continue on to earn a Bryant professional MBA online degree, with a specialization in Innovative Healthcare Leadership without having to start over or reapply to another program. The online delivery of these programs will best enable professionals to be able to complete these degrees despite the rigors and time constraints of their jobs.
PBN: One of the courses offered is called Healthcare Law and Ethics. How will students in this course better understand the laws of health care and how they affect business operations?
SULMASY: Many factors influence decisions made every day by individuals and organizations in the health care system. These factors include culture, education, religion, finances, personal and family values, and individual experience. In order to navigate these complex issues, it is paramount to operate under a clear legal and ethical framework. In this course, students will gain an understanding of the mission-critical philosophical, medical, social and legal aspects of bioethical issues in health care. They will also learn how to approach risk management to ensure that patients and those who care for them are operating in a safe and secure environment.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
