Healthcare Analytics and Advocacy
The HAA program offers a pathway to a Bachelor of Science degree for applicants who wish to build on college credits to earn a degree in Healthcare Analytics and Advocacy. This exciting field builds the insight and experience needed for a career working closely with patients from all backgrounds.
The School of Health Professions Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Analytics and Advocacy Program provides the student with specific knowledge and skills related to global health care analytics and cultural competence in the health care setting while advocating for patient centered care.
The program offers a full-time two-year track and a part-time four-year track leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. See the program prerequisites and FAQs (for Fall admits and for Spring admits). The degree is offered online with courses, including synchronous interactions with the faculty during class meetings and seminars, and asynchronous class content. The online delivery enables students to further their educational goals by attending classes in synchronous and asynchronous settings, which is particularly helpful if they are working or have a family. The online delivery also enables students from outside the Houston area to enroll. Participants have the flexibility of enrolling full-time or part-time.
View the virtual brochure (pdf).
An Overview of Healthcare Analytics and Advocacy
Administration
Program Director
Susan Lee, Ph.D.
Program Advisors
Jay Bezerra
Alba Calzada
Ranna Parekh
Executive Advisor
Shibu Varghese
SVP, People, Culture & Infrastructure
MD Anderson Cancer Center
View the complete roster of SHP educators
Accreditation
All programs in SHP are regionally accredited through:
1866 Southern Ln.
Decatur, GA 30033-4097
Phone: 404-679-4501
Fax: 404-679-4558
The offers a voluntary post-graduation accreditation, the Certified Patient Experience Professional (). After graduates of the HAA Program meet continuing education/professional experience requirements, they can register to take the CPXP. When graduates successfully pass the certification examination, they are awarded the designation of CPXP. This certification must be renewed every 3 years by completing continuing education credits or re-taking the certification examination.
Mission, Vision & SLO's
Mission
The mission of the Healthcare Analytics and Advocacy program is to provide the highest quality of education to students through formal didactic and practical experiences in the practice of health care analytics, leadership and patient advocacy.
Vision
We shall be the premier provider of education in health care anayltics and advocacy based on best practices and research in these professions.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Our students will concentrate on higher-order analytical and evaluative skills in health care analytics.
The student will:
- Analyze complex health care datasets to identify patterns and trends related to patient outcomes, cost-efficiency and resource utilization.
- Deconstruct health care problems by examining the relationships between clinical, operational and financial data to reveal actionable insights.
- Conduct advanced cohort analysis to identify high-risk populations and evaluate the effectiveness of current care models.
- Distinguish between different types of health care analytics (descriptive, predictive, prescriptive) and critically evaluate their relevance and applicability to specific clinical or operational challenges.
- Interpret the results of multivariate regression models or machine learning algorithms to uncover hidden correlations in health care data.
Our students will be culturally competent.
The student will:
- Critically assess the validity and reliability of predictive models used in clinical decision-making and patient care.
- Evaluate the ethical, legal and social implications of data analytics initiatives, including issues around data privacy, security and algorithmic bias.
- Appraise the quality of health care data sources and datasets, ensuring they meet standards for accuracy, completeness and timeliness.
- Evaluate the impact of data-driven health care interventions on patient outcomes, health care costs, and operational efficiency, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
- Assess the effectiveness of data visualization techniques in conveying complex health care insights to stakeholders, ensuring clarity and actionable recommendations.
Our students will be patient advocates.
The student may:
- Design a comprehensive, evidence-based healthcare analytics strategy that integrates multiple data sources to address key health care challenges (e.g., reducing readmission rates, improving patient satisfaction).
- Construct an interactive dashboard or reporting tool that effectively communicates key performance metrics to health care executives and clinicians.
- Develop artifical intelligence models to predict patient outcomes, assess treatment effectiveness, or optimize health care resource allocation, ensuring interpretability and transparency.
- Propose novel frameworks or methodologies for evaluating health care interventions using a combination of cost-effectiveness analysis, quality of care indicators and patient-reported outcomes.
A Career in Healthcare Analytics and Advocacy
Graduates may use this education to develop their clinical expertise and professional growth in the areas of health care analytics or patient advocacy.
Potential Career Paths with your B.S. in Healthcare Analytics and Advocacy
| Occupation | Avg. Salary | Projected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Case Manager | $51,760 | 12% |
| Clinical Research Coordinator | $120/010 | 16.92% |
| Community Relations Coordinator | $74,000 | 15% |
| Government Policy Maker | $52,000 | 13% |
| Health Care Communications | $57,110 | |
| Health Disparity Research Assistant | $56,430 | |
| Inter-institutional Partnerships Manager | $74,000 | 15% |
| Patient Advocate, Support Representative | $44,450 | 14.88% |
| Patient Service Coordinator/Manager | $101,340 | 32% |
Outcome Measures-Effectiveness Data
| Year | Graduation Rate ^ |
Number of Students |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 100% | 10 admitted; 10 graduated; |
| 2020 | 100% | 2 admitted; 2 graduated; |
| 2021 | 100% | 6 admitted; 6 graduated |
| 2022 | 100% | 8 admitted; 8 graduated |
| 2023 | 100% | 11 admitted; 11 graduated |
5-Year Average 100% (32 of 32)
^ Graduation rate is subject to change based on full-time and part-time enrollments.