OpusVi partners with American University to transform healthcare project management

A new partnership between the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies (OGPS) and OpusVi is set to educate healthcare professionals on innovative project management approaches and techniques.

Why is project management needed in healthcare?

Within healthcare, project management balances the multiple priorities of managing risk, lowering costs, and improving patient well-being. It is an increasingly complex discipline as healthcare is complicated — the costs are rising, the regulation is heavy, and the stakes are high. The need for innovation and education in healthcare project management is higher than ever before as the outcomes of the projects could be life or death.

While the demand for training, certifications, and courses in healthcare project management are growing, so is the demand for workers. According to Wrike, the healthcare workforce is projected to increase project management roles by 30% — more than any other project-intensive industry. A recent report from the National Institutes of Health predicts that in 2020, there will be 5.6 million new healthcare jobs. Since Americans spend more than $3 trillion on healthcare per year, the healthcare sector could lose over $50 billion a year from poor project management practices and unnecessary risks.

It is for this reason that OpusVi, the leading healthcare workforce development company, is partnering with American University's School of Professional & Extended Studies to offer new and unique training in project management with an emphasis on healthcare systems.

The partners are united in their goals

“Here at OpusVi, we are thrilled to partner with American University, particularly with SPExS, a very natural ally. Our Certificate in Healthcare Project Management has come at the ideal time as the whole sector is changing and evolving as never before,” says Andrew Malley, CEO of OpusVi. “In order to improve patient care, reduce costs, and improve the overall patient experience and satisfaction, healthcare project management skills have become vital because they help control costs, manage risk, and improve project outcomes. This also involves the mitigation of litigation. For project managers moving into health, this extra layer adds a new component of understanding which needs to be acquired. We look forward to moving ahead with this first program and those in other areas including policy and administration.”

 

“We are very excited about the collaboration between American University and OpusVi. This partnership represents a steadfast approach to lifelong learning in the healthcare ecosystem, ” says Sam Hanna, Associate Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies at American University. “With this partnership, we bring to bear the strength of American University in areas of healthcare management and policy. Being in Washington, D.C., where we have direct access to where key healthcare decisions are being made, provides a unique value proposition to students enrolled in our many programs.”

 

Hanna adds that, “with a focus on Lifelong Learning, we undertake this partnership in order to provide key skills and knowledge for healthcare workers facing an ever-evolving and more complex healthcare industry. American University’s depth and breadth in healthcare management, policy and regulations, and public health, coupled with OpusVi's reach, will provide extraordinary value to students and the communities where they work.”