Higher Certificate in Health Care Services Management

Purpose

This qualification will develop management and leadership skills and competencies in persons involved in or wanting to make a career in the management of healthcare services. Healthcare services management is a field where there has been a historically severe shortage of management skills. This has been aggravated by the so-called brain drain to other countries.

The Higher Certificate: Healthcare Services and Management (HCHSM) will empower healthcare practitioners and related professionals, such as medical practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists and optometrists, as well as non-medical persons interested in pursuing management careers in healthcare services. The programme will serve a dual purpose in that school leavers can obtain initial management training and professionals in healthcare who occupy managerial positions but have no management skills and competencies, will have the opportunity to obtain elementary managerial skills.

By increasing the supply of management skills at the entry level the programme will address regional and national human resources problems.

Rationale

Over the past decade there has been great emphasis globally on good corporate governance and the publication of the King I and King II reports on corporate governance hastened the transformation of corporate governance and management of organisations in South Africa.

With this increased emphasis on efficient management and good governance the healthcare sector has come under pressure to improve the management competence of its managers. The need for sector specific healthcare management training has become paramount. This Higher Certificate: Healthcare Services Management is an attempt to develop management skills, improve the delivery of healthcare services and foster good governance.

Central to this programme is the development of management skills and competencies to ensure effective delivery of healthcare services in both the public and private sectors. In the past several healthcare practitioners were put into management positions in the public sector without adequate training. At the same time, private sector practitioners need to develop the management skills to adequately manage their practices. Therefore, the Higher Certificate in Healthcare Services Management is aimed at new entrants who wish to develop careers in healthcare services management as well as existing persons in management positions who do not have adequate management skills and competence.

This qualification assumes that the students taking this programme are

• Competent in the language of instruction of the programme.
• Able to work effectively both independently and in a group.
• Have obtained the general theoretical, practical, professional and academic knowledge and understanding required at NQF Level 4.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Access to this qualification may be obtained through the Recognition of Prior Learning. Also credit towards modules in the programme may be obtained by assessing the competence the student gained from work experience.

In the cases where prior learning is to be recognised for purposes of access to the qualification

• It is assumed that the learning derived from work or life experience will be a major element in the profiles of prospective students primarily by means of an examination of their curriculum vitae (CV) against the learning in place requirements for entry into the programme.
• Such candidates will be selected on the recommendation of a senior manager from their organisations/companies.
• Where appropriate, interviews will also be conducted to assess the competence of applicants.
• Some of the key criteria that will be used in evaluating applicants include:

> The applicants' motivation, maturity and realistic approach to their studies.

> Job description, covering relevant area of work, giving examples of tasks carried out, possibly supplying references.

> The nature and level of life/work experience and prior study, and the learning which has resulted from such experience.

> Details of in-company short courses such as length of the course, content of material covered, standard achieved.

> The clarity of the applicant's educational goals and objectives.

> The extent to which the applicant can provide evidence of the threshold skills and knowledge for the programme.

Where prior learning is recognized for credit towards the programme, credit will be given for prior certificated learning in accordance with established practice at South African higher education institutions. The amount of 'specific' credit granted is dependent on the match between prior learning and award towards which the intended programme leads, i.e., outcomes achieved through Recognition of Prior Learning versus the outcomes of the programme Credits may only be accumulated for modules, which are prescribed for this programme subject to the RBS policy and general higher education practices in South Africa higher education institutions.

Access to the Qualification

The minimum Level of attainment required for entry into this programme is

• Senior Certificate or an equivalent NQF Level 4 qualification.
• For students who do not qualify using the above programme entry criteria, the Recognition of Prior Learning route will be available. This will include assessing:

> Work experience of the candidate relevant to the level of the programme.

> A detailed CV of overall experience and training of the candidate in the field of learning (formal, informal and non-formal).

> A detailed letter motivating why the student wants to attempt the programme.

The qualification consists of the following Fundamental and Core Components which are compulsory

Fundamental Component

• Health Economics, NQF Level 5, 20 credits.
• Healthcare Services Environment, NQF Level 5, 20 credits.
• Principles of Management, NQF Level 5, 20 credits.

Core Component

• Practice Management, NQF Level 5, 20 credits.
• Services Delivery and Quality Management, NQF Level 5, 20 credits.
• Healthcare Services Planning and Policy, NQF Level 5, 20 credits.

Total 120 credits all at NQF Level 5.

• Understand and work in the healthcare services environment.
• Use Economic principles to understand, explain and discuss allocation of resources in healthcare services.
• Analyse healthcare services phenomena using economic analysis tools.
• Apply management principles (general, financial and human resources) in the healthcare services management.
• Manage a healthcare service practice.
• Understand, monitor, review and implement quality improvement in this industry.
• Understand planning and policy making, monitoring, review and implementation in the healthcare services sector.

The Exit Level Outcomes are assessed in the context of the individual fundamental and core modules as follows

Module 1: Management Principles.

At the end of the module the learner will be able to

• Define and understand the concept of management.
• Appreciate and explain management principles and management by objectives in healthcare services management.
• Discuss the various forms of management issues (Human Resources, Financial and information Management) in healthcare services management.
• Understand and explain the regulatory framework in healthcare services management.

Module 2: The Healthcare Services Environment.

At the end of the module the learner will be able to

• Understand the nature of the healthcare services environment.
• Distinguish between the characteristics of healthcare services environment.
• Understand the various forms of Heath Care Systems.
• Identify the different factors influencing healthcare services management.

Module 3: Health economics.

At the end of the module the student will be able to

• Understand and use the concepts of scarcity, choice and opportunity cost.
• Understand and explain the relevance of microeconomic analysis in healthcare services management.
• Examine and analyse the concepts of risk and uncertainty in healthcare services management.
• Understand the relevance and need for various forms of health insurance.
• Analyse healthcare services using normative principles.
• Explain the Relevance of Private-Public partnerships in healthcare services management.

Module 4: Practice Management.

At the end of the module the student will be able to

• Understand and start a practice.
• Explain the need for a feasibility study and planning.
• Examine and discuss the financial aspects of setting up a practice.
• Explain the process of practice management.
• Design and implement policies and procedures for a healthcare services practice.

Module 5: Services Delivery and Quality Management.

At the end of the module the student will be able to

• Analyse issues in service delivery.
• Differentiate between public and private provision of services.
• Understand the Batho Pele Principles.
• Understand and implement the quality cycle.
• Explain the importance of monitoring, review and quality improvement.

Module 6: Healthcare Services Planning and Policy.

At the end of the module the student will be able to

• Appreciate the need for planning.
• Discuss the planning process.
• Explain the types of planning.
• Understand the need for and the planning process for disaster planning and emergency planning.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment is based on

• Understanding of the nature and characteristics of the healthcare environment.
• The use of work based assignments to test the application of management principles in a healthcare services organisation.
• The use of economic analysis principles in understanding healthcare management.
• The importance of service delivery and quality management.
• Planning of healthcare services delivery and related policy.
• Practice management in a healthcare organisation.

Assessment focuses on

• Understanding of the healthcare services environment.
• The application of health economics principles to management and decision-making.
• The extent to which the learner has grasped the basic concepts and principles which form the basics of management of healthcare services delivery.
• A balance between theory and practice and its relevance to the level of the qualification.
• The use of management theory in practice management.
• The quality of service delivery and continuous improvement.
• Planning and policy making aspects of the healthcare services industry.

Assessment methods measure the extent to which the learner has achieved competence in the different areas of study delivered through course modules.

These assessment methods may include

• Case studies.
• Report writing.
• Interpretative and analytical problem solving in the written examinations.
• Work based assignments.
• Self assessment activities in the module study guides and course materials.