Leadership in Community Health: A Case Study

Abstract

Health care costs can be reduced by better management of scarce health care resources. However, this does not necessarily mean better health for the individual. On the other hand, expansion of health care programs with the goal of prevention can make the individual healthier and in the long-run reduce the cost of health care. The very rapid growth in managed health care plans, with their emphasis on controlling health care costs, may provide an opportunity for an expansion in preventive health care programs.

This case study of a new graduate program in health administration examines the results of the role the educational program can play in coalition building among various agencies to better the health of the community. The goal of this program is to produce graduates equipped with administrative skills and a thorough understanding of the value of well developed community wellness programs.

The accomplishments of this graduate program include the formation of a proactive regional wellness council, the production of a video tape about reducing adolescent high-risk health behaviors distributed to every school district in Pennsylvania, and the implementation of a number of additional community health initiatives developed by this graduate program. This study provides evidence that a graduate program in health care administration can provide a leadership role in the production of better health for communities overall.

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