Advanced Diploma in Health Care Administration and Management

Purpose

The purpose of the Advanced Diploma in Health Care Administration and Management is for career change, providing health professionals and associate professionals with administrative and managerial skills, to be utilised in rendering quality health care administration and management in various settings in the related world of work. Informed by several exit-level outcomes, the qualification serves to provide learners with knowledge and skills in the current theory, practice, and methodology within the field of health care administration and management in South African contexts.

The qualification will produce learners with the requisite vocational knowledge and skills in health care administration and management and the ability to apply these throughout various health and related clinical settings in South Africa towards aiding the transformation of the socio-economic landscape of South Africa.

This qualification aims to allow for further articulation and strengthening and deepening of the learner's knowledge in the field of health care administration and management.

Upon completion of the qualification, qualifying learners will be able to

• Demonstrate detailed knowledge and application of risk and financial management principles.
• Demonstrate the understanding and ability to implement management information systems.
• Identify, evaluate and address learning needs in a self-directed manner, and facilitate collaborative learning processes related to the field of health care administration and management of human resources.
• Utilise intra - and interpersonal life skills to facilitate relationships within personal and professional spheres.
• Implement research principles, demonstrating ethical and responsible conduct in various health and/or clinical settings.

The qualification provides vertical and horizontal articulation routes and access from lower levels in the NQF. Successful learners may articulate vertically to a postgraduate diploma in the cognate field of study.

Rationale

This proposed qualification is informed by the need for managerial knowledge and skills amongst various health and related clinical professions as well as allied health care professions, widening access to higher education at levels beyond the entry-level qualifications in health and related clinical sciences and allied health care professions, and the provision of additional articulation routes in health and related clinical sciences and allied health sciences in fields of study with a diploma at the entry-level.

The qualification will address a critical shortage in managerial knowledge and skills amongst various health and related clinical professions as well as allied healthcare professions. This qualification will address a specific niche in the labour market by providing healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills to develop, plan and manage healthcare operations and services within health and allied healthcare facilities across healthcare systems.

It is envisaged that professionals and associate professionals in occupations such as nursing, health and related clinical professions, allied health professions, and learners in the process of completing outdated qualifications will seek access to the qualification for personal growth.

Notably, departments within the Faculty of Health Sciences, comprising the Somatology, Dental Technology, Environmental Health, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Nursing indicated the public relevance for the qualification as a much-needed intervention in efforts to address the failing regulatory state of public health administration and management in the government sector.

The qualification prescripts also address and cater for the management and administration of the entire health spectrum within the health sector, ensuring relevance and upliftment of health service delivery. The qualification's impact will be well-managed health service with tangible improvement in the management and administration of health service delivery both in the private, local and national spheres, this is in line with national health goals and policies.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL for access

• Learners who do not meet the minimum entrance requirements or the required qualification that is at the same NQF level as the qualification required for admission may be considered for admission through RPL.
• To be considered for admission in the qualification based on RPL, applicants should provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that they have acquired the relevant knowledge, skills, and competencies through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to cope with the qualification expectations.

RPL for exemption of modules

• Learners may apply for RPL to be exempted from modules that form part of the qualification. For a learner to be exempted from a module, the learner needs to provide sufficient evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates that competency was achieved for the learning outcomes that are equivalent to the learning outcomes of the module.

RPL for credit

• Learners may also apply for RPL for credit for or towards the qualification, in which they must provide evidence in the form of a portfolio that demonstrates prior learning through formal, non-formal and/or informal learning to obtain credits towards the qualification.
• Credit shall be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Diploma in Management, NQF Level 6.

Or

• Diploma in Administration, NQF Level 6.

Or

• Diploma in a cognate field, NQF Level 6.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 7 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, NQF Leve 7, totalling 96 Credits

• Business Management in the Health Professions, 24 Credits.
• Risk and Financial Management, 18 Credits.
• Human Resource Management, 12 Credits.
• Health Care Ethics, 12 Credits.
• Research Methodology, 12 Credits.
• Health Care Administration and Management Project, 18 Credits.

Elective Modules, NQF Level 7, totalling 24 Credits, (Select one)

• Health Care Operations and Services Administration and Management, 24 Credits.
• Heath Care Facilities Administration and Management, 24 Credits.
• Health Care Management Information Systems, 24 Credits.

1. Demonstrate integrated knowledge of the central areas of health care administration and management.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of a range of methods of enquiry in health care administration and management, and their suitability to specific investigations; and an ability to select and apply a range of methods to resolve problems or introduce change within the practice of health care administration and management.
3. Demonstrate an ability to identify, analyse, evaluate, critically reflect on and address complex problems.
4. Communicate and manage processes in unfamiliar and variable contexts, recognising that problem-solving is context- and system-bound.
5. Identify, evaluate and address learning needs in a self-directed manner, and facilitate collaborative learning processes related to the field of health care administration and management.
6. Demonstrate an ability to make decisions and act ethically and professionally, and justify those decisions and actions by drawing on appropriate ethical values and approaches.
7. Demonstrate an ability to take full responsibility for his or her work, decision-making and use of resources, and limited accountability for the decisions and actions of others in varied or ill-defined contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1.

• Evaluate different types of knowledge and explanations typical within the areas of planning, business management, financial management, public relations, human resources management, health care systems operation and management, health care resource allocation and policy making.
• Apply knowledge of specific types of health care services, health law and regulations.
• Develop, plan and manage health care operations and services, applying the knowledge and skills gained from all knowledge areas.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2.

• Manage and monitor a health care operation and service by applying techniques relevant to the management of a health care centre.
• Identify and analyse the risks of managing a healthcare operation and service.
• Enforce relevant healthcare legislation to ensure integrity
• Apply legislation relevant to the health care operation and service field.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3.

• Apply evidence-based, tangible solutions and theory-driven arguments concerning health care administration and management legislature.
• Discharge managerial functions at service centres.
• Communicate financial management to improve healthcare administration and management which can foster economic growth and social cohesion.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 4.

• Apply scientific language and nomenclature in a clear and concise manner, giving and receiving feedback appropriate to unfamiliar and variable contexts.
• Communicate instructional information and study material in a variety of ways, with special emphasis on peer-reviewed scientific literature.
• Apply appropriate academic and professional conventions, formats and technologies, in varied fields of health care administration and management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 5.

• Plan collaborative networking relevant to the maintenance of infrastructure and equipment commensurate with contemporary health care administration and management principles > Analyse how you spend your time and identify what strategies to use to deal with "time robbers.
• Design, implement and evaluate comprehensive and participatory healthcare qualifications to address contemporary needs

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 6.

• Approach and manage ethical and organizational dilemmas in line with professional, and industrial standards and guidelines.
• Employ special consideration for organisational behaviour when interacting with people, and communities.
• Display an awareness of the complexity of ethical dilemmas within an organisational or professional context.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 7.

• Account and take full responsibility for solving problems based on evidence and procedures.
• Refer peer conduct and accountability to relevant organisational structures.
• Participate actively in informal and formal teaching and training of peers, workers and others.

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

The overall assessment strategy is that of integrated assessment which is evident in the approach to the assessment of applied competence. Applied competence is understood as the learners' ability to integrate concepts, ideas and actions in authentic, real-life contexts; the assessment of which is broken down into the assessment of foundational, practical and reflexive competence where:

Foundational competence is the demonstrated understanding of what the learner does and why (s)he does it. Practical competence is the demonstrated ability to perform a set of tasks and actions in authentic contexts.

Reflexive competence is the demonstrated ability to integrate learners' performances with their understanding so that they are able to adapt to changed circumstances and explain the reason behind these adaptations.

Integrated assessment further implies a planned combination of formative and summative assessment strategies with varying ratios, depending on the level (year) of study where: formative assessment implies being supportive to learning, non-judgmental and focused on providing constructive feedback or criticism to the learner, takes place during the learning process and informs planning of future learning activities, and

All modules are assessed in a non-examination termination mode of assessment. There is no specific final or year-end examination in modules assessed in a non-examination termination mode. In all modules, between four and six assessments are conducted, of which the final assessment needs to be an integrated assessment

A variety of assessment methods are used in the modules, such as

• Assignments
• Reports
• Projects
• Tests
• Presentations
• Case studies
• Proposals and a project plan.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment will be used to inform learners about their progress on a continuous basis throughout the course of study. Self and peer assessment (with the aid of relevant analytical assessment tools) will contribute to formative assessment. Marks collected from this evidence will be used for the sole purpose of learner and lecturer reflection, growth and development. Formative assessment will be used to support the learner developmentally and to provide feedback to all involved in the learning process about how learning and teaching can be improved. Throughout the qualification, formative assessment strategies will be used to ensure that exit-level outcomes are achieved, that any academic problems are addressed immediately, and that learners receive ongoing, structured feedback.

Formative assessments will be a combination of

• Online discussions
• Quizzes
• Other online activities

Summative assessments

Both formative and summative assessments will be used to support learning for this qualification.

summative assessment implies assessment to be mainly concerned with summing up the learning process and therefore usually takes place at the end of the relevant learning process.

All modules are regarded as exit-level modules and are therefore externally moderated. All external moderators are appointed by the Senate for a three-year period.

The moderator moderates at least 50% of the assessment opportunities for all non-examination termination modules, which are assessed through a variety of assessment methods. On completion, the moderator will also complete a report and comment on the validity and reliability of the assessment.