Although the main line medical schools in the US have been slow to adopt the promotion of education on health care policy, the universities associated with several large and prestigious medical programs offer nationally renowned Masters of Health Administration and Masters Public Health programs. Physicians increasingly are seeking out these additional, advanced degrees as the network of health care provision in the US becomes more systematic. They are realizing the value of a set of skills surrounding health care process management, health law, and organizational management are key to success in whatever health care environment the future holds.

As we discuss improvements in the provision of health care, one of our MHA professors is quick to remind us how doctors are trained: they are expected to analyze quickly and accurately a presenting patient using a scientifically-based approach of observation and reasoning. They generally do not contemplate how to improve the transit of a perscription through a hospitals pharmecutical dispensing system or how their orders on a patient's chart might integrate with the patients at-home support system that will keep her healthly in the long term.

These are the challenges that will end up ensuring the best health care under any of the proposed reforms, but without improved integration between physician education and the training found in programs such as Masters in Health Administration it will be difficult to bridge the conceptual gap.

IndyMHA - Perhaps it would benefit MHA students to actually spend time working or volunteering at a hospital, physician's office and long term care facility - not in an administrative capacity but in a changing bed linen and bathing patients sort of position. This should be a core activity of the degree program. The view from the penthouse office is not the same as from the registration desk in the ED at 2am after the Superbowl or mealtime at the nursing home. After you have done this, perhaps your interactions with the physicians and nurses, who are the reason the patients come to the hospital in the first place, might be more meaningful for both sides.