Health Administration and Leadership Courses

In this course, students will understand barriers to intercultural communication, assess cultural differences, and apply strategies to communicate effectively with colleagues and clients from other cultures. Students will apply principles of plain language to communicate effectively to diverse audiences using a variety of communication channels. They will apply research strategies to evaluate sources of information and will apply APA standards of documentation and style to academic work. Students will analyse audience and purpose to create business correspondence using the direct approach.

In this course, students will learn about the impact of policy and system design on health outcomes in both the Canadian and provincial health systems, with a focus on Ontario and Northwestern Ontario. The course will provide an overview of public policy, how public policy works and how it is implemented in the Canadian context. The course also addresses system and policy impacts on health equity.

The field of organizational behaviour examines human behaviour in organizations. Students will assess the impacts of human behaviour on organizational performance through the study of personal values and perceptions, motivational techniques, effective utilization of teamwork, conflict resolution options, negotiation processes, approaches to decision making, options for organizational structure and change management. They will be able to predict potential impacts of human resources policies and practices on employee behaviour as well as recommend management practices to effectively address specific employee behaviours.

Managing Human Resources effectively is essential to a health organization’s success. In this course, students will learn how to manage human resources responsibly in union and non-union health organizations implementing key management activities, including recruitment and selection, orientation and training, compensation and benefits, occupational health and safety, labour law and performance management. Students will apply their knowledge through practical assignments, such as exploring career options in health organizations and developing targeted resumes, polished cover letters, professional social media profiles and mock interviews.

This course will provide students with an introduction to financial, budgetary and economic principles required for sound decision making in the management of health services. Students will learn about various funding models, budgeting practices, important financial reports and supply chain management. Focusing on the financial environments of Ontario health organizations, students will become familiar with leading financial mechanisms and evaluation tools, and analyze their impact on cost efficiency and effectiveness, in terms of quality, innovation and access.

Evidence based decision-making is a model, which requires administrators and leaders to engage with research to guide decision-making and inform best practice. In this course, students will study a wide variety of sources for important information and data, which will serve as a basis for decision-making. Additionally, students will learn how to review, create and analyze qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, outcomes and recommendations.

This course will provide students with an introduction to the history of colonization of Indigenous communities in Canada. Contemporary Indigenous community issues within Northwestern Ontario (NWO) and Canada will be examined. Students will explore the unique socio-political relationships between Canada and Indigenous peoples with an emphasis on colonial, legal and political issues. With a broader understanding of the context of colonization, students will analyze contemporary relationships and efforts towards renewed relationships and reconciliation.

In this course, students will develop managerial skills to propose, plan, secure resources, budget, and lead project teams to successful completion of projects. Students will also learn why organizations have developed a formal project management process supported by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and its Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) to gain a competitive advantage. The case study approach will be used along with an investigation of software and collaboration tools that aid in carrying out activities of project planning and project execution.

Students will learn the fundamentals of strategic management, with a focus on strategic management in the health system. This course includes some theory and some practical application of strategic planning, strategic thinking and managing strategic momentum. Students will learn how to develop and implement strategic plans, action plans and operational plans. Students will also conduct an internal and external analysis, and learn about stakeholder engagement.

This course will cover the fundamental skills required for effective leadership in a healthcare setting. Topics will include leadership competencies, skills and styles, relationship building, conflict resolution, leadership culture and accountability and leading change.

Utilizing an anti-oppression framework, this course will introduce the student to the history, theory and practice of community development and engagement. Students will examine oppressive social structures that affect community wellbeing. Concepts of power differentials, oppression and empowerment will be explored in relation to community engagement. The roles, skills and processes required of leaders working in community health and social service organizations will be explored in addition to the organizational structure of community-based organizations.

In this course, students will learn about foundational principals and models of ethical decision making from front-line to administrative roles in health organizations. Using case studies and current examples, students will apply theory to real life situations learning about the impact of ethical decision making on the operational and strategic goals of an organization. Additionally, this course will provide an overview of the current legal landscape within the Ontario health system. Students will gain the knowledge and critical thinking skills required to identify, navigate and facilitate the resolution of legal issues and risks unique to health organizations.

In this course, students will be exposed to the fundamentals of quality improvement for reducing risk and enhancing patient safety while improving efficiencies and reducing costs in health organizations. Students will learn principles, methodologies and application of quality improvement tools, and the importance of data based decision making to improve the quality of health outcomes. The role of staff, leadership, and supporting structures to create a culture of continuous improvement in a health environment will also be explored.

In this course, students will have the opportunity to learn about current health service delivery issues facing real Canadian health organizations from leaders in the health sector. Employing team based collaborative learning models, students will be required to research an issue and produce a thorough literature review. Utilizing information collected from the literature review and consultations with subject matter experts, students will be required to develop an in-depth plan to respond to the issue. Students will also be required to conduct presentations on their health service delivery solutions to health sector leaders. Students will be expected to apply a wide variety of concepts learned in other program courses including the impact of the problem on human resources, organizational culture, leadership, finances, policy, and strategic and operational goals.