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Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare

A New Kind of Business Program, Tailored to Rural Healthcare Management

Rural healthcare comes with a complex and unique set of challenges — at the same time, rural settings offer opportunities for growth and impact that are exponentially higher than those in urban areas. However, traditional healthcare management and business programs often don’t equip health leaders to navigate these environments. OpusVi™ and the University of Arizona’s Eller Executive Education believe that rural healthcare professionals deserve to be empowered to make a true impact on their communities and to pursue a highly fulfilling career. That’s why we’re proud to offer the Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare, a condensed business management program with a twist, specifically tailored to the needs of rural healthcare professionals.

Three

Olympic and Super Bowl-winning athletes give insights into performing and persevering, even under pressure

Tailored

to the needs of rural healthcare professionals and their communities featuring thought leadership pieces, self-reflective exercises, and more

Eleven

academic specialists from the University of Arizona’s Eller Executive Education and Eller College of Management develop and present high-quality learning content

DHGE wins two Hermes Creative Awards for Website Redesign and our Educational Video

Develop a Healthcare Management Strategy as Unique as Your Community

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, the Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare is aimed at providing a structure that will help rural healthcare professionals break down the complex issues, develop a deeper understanding of how the politics and community of their region influence healthcare, think differently about stakeholder engagement, enable them to find room for innovation and encourage them to question the status quo, and help them gain a larger perspective.

Insights

from rural healthcare professionals and leaders sharing their diverse experiences

Media-rich

learning experience includes videos, engaging exercises, and highly-relevant case studies

Capstone

concluding the program prepares you to put your plans into action under the guidance of an expert instructor with years of experience working in rural healthcare

Learning content

customized to healthcare business and administration in a rural context including the role of community engagement and talent recruitment and retention

Self-reflective

discussions and exercises concluding each unit helping you identify and solve challenges related to rural healthcare management

Be a Champion for Rural Health — Meet Your Olympic and Super Bowl-Winning Coaches

In an innovative approach, our curriculum features two-time Super Bowl champion Max Starks, four-time track and field Olympic medal winner Ato Boldon, and two-time shot put Olympic medal winner John Godina. These professional athletes bring their unique perspectives to achieving greatness on the job, overcoming failure while pursuing perfection, and performing under pressure.

Their insights are integrated into condensed, research-based learning content of an MBA-level that is developed and presented by eleven passionate and highly qualified academic experts from the University of Arizona’s Eller Executive Education and Eller College of Management so you can gain a healthcare-specific business foundation in a short time without sacrificing depth.

The entire curriculum is informed by healthcare professionals working in rural areas to ensure learners are given the tools they need to make an impact.

John Godina

John Godina

Three-time World Championship winner and two-time Olympic medal winner in the shot put

“I opened and owned multiple fitness and sports training businesses since my retirement as an athlete. What is critical is knowing the processes of moving from one industry to another. By bringing the sports perspective into this Mini-MBA, we want to help people understand the nuances of the mental approach, the processes of goal setting, and the experiences around recovery. It provides a knowledge base that helps a medical provider transition into the business aspects of healthcare.”

Christian J. Balcer, MHSA

Christian J. Balcer, MHSA

Manager, Telemedicine and Business Development, at Benefis Health System

The Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare from OpusVi™ and the University of Arizona’s Eller Executive Education provides an important educational opportunity for professionals to hone their business skills while also deepening their understanding of a vital, yet often overlooked, aspect of the health industry. My involvement with this program stems from the commitment of both organizations to make sure students are exposed to the most relevant content related to leading in rural health environments. As an emerging leader in this particular space, I’m excited to offer my experience and expertise so that students have everything they need to become the successful leader their organization and community needs.

Featuring Insights of Top-Performing

Athletes

Max Starks IV

Max Starks IV

Two-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Max Starks IV

Two-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers

As the first NFL player to win Super Bowls at two different positions and two-time Super Bowl Champion, Max Starks IV retired from the NFL in 2015 after 10 seasons. He is now establishing himself as a versatile broadcaster on both television and radio, having been a commentator and analyst for the NFL Network, ESPN3, NBC Sports Radio, among others. He has been an in-demand keynote speaker for organizations including Pepsi, BNY Mellon, and Boy Scouts of America. Starks earned a BA in Sociology in 2007. Becoming the youngest person ever to open a fund through the Pittsburgh Foundation, he established the Max Starks Charitable Fund for Childhood Literacy and Education in 2004.

Ato Boldon

Ato Boldon

Four-time Olympic medal winner in Track and Field

Ato Boldon

Four-time Olympic medal winner in Track and Field

Caribbean track and field icon Ato Boldon amassed two World Junior Sprint titles and a total of eight World Championship and Olympic medals in his sprint career. After retiring from competition in 2004, Boldon became a sprint analyst and broadcaster for CBS Sports. His track and field coverage of the Beijing Olympics earned acclaim from such major publications as Sports Illustrated, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, the Dallas Morning News, and the Sports Business Journal, with the New York Times declaring Boldon “one of NBC's best analysts, a blend of athletic smarts, charisma, precise analysis, and brashness". His broadcasting effort at the London 2012 Olympics led Boldon to become the first and only broadcaster in U.S. track and field history nominated for an Emmy. In December 2016, Sports Illustrated named Boldon its 'Television Analyst of the Year'. Boldon was a senator in the Parliament of his native Trinidad and Tobago, from 2006 to 2007. He has been a licensed private pilot since 2005.

John Godina

John Godina

Three-time World Championship winner and two-time Olympic medal winner in shot put

John Godina

Three-time World Championship winner and two-time Olympic medal winner in shot put

After obtaining a BS in Biology from UCLA, John Godina embarked on a 14-year track and field career during which he became a four-time World Champion, three-time Olympian, and two-time Olympic medalist in the shot put. After retiring from competition in 2009, he expanded his already established training facilities into what is today ALTIS, a self-sustaining business model combining elite athlete training, coaches education systems, and grassroots camps and clinics for the youth across the country. By 2016, ALTIS had expanded to 120 resident athletes, 150 visiting athletes, and over 200 coaches and therapists in attendance for education. At the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, 21 ALTIS athletes won 5 medals and would have ranked #8 on the medal table if ALTIS were a country. In 2018, John sold ALTIS and embarked upon new ventures including global sport business consulting, public appearances and speaking, and the founding of new companies.

Faculty

Brochure

Brochure

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Program Outline

The Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare certificate provides healthcare professionals with the training and skills to navigate the business of healthcare in rural settings. In this innovative online 12-week program, world-leading faculty, passionate healthcare professionals, and champion athletes are giving you a framework to identify and tackle challenges in your community.

  • Unit 1: Tensions and Dilemmas Facing Healthcare: The Forces of Healthcare Economics (with Keith Joiner, MD)
  • Unit 2: Drive Performance Through High-Impact Business Strategy (with Joe Carella, PhD)
  • Unit 3: Delivering Value Through World-Class Operations (with Robert H. Owen, MBA)
  • Unit 4: Create Change Through Community Engagement (with Deborrah Himsel)
  • Unit 5: Leveraging Budgets for Better Healthcare (with Ann McGrath)
  • Unit 6: Making Strong Decisions Through Financial Investment Fluency (with Aamir Khan, PhD)
  • Unit 7: Building the Right Team: Talent Acquisition and Retention (with Joe Broschak, PhD)
  • Unit 8: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Practice (with Lehman Benson III, PhD)
  • Unit 9: Change the Game: The Science of Influence (with Nathan Podsakoff, PhD)
  • Unit 10: Design Thinking: From Starting Blocks to Finish Line (with Mark Peterson)
  • Unit 11: The Heart of a Champion: Resilience and Awareness (with Deborrah Himsel)
  • Unit 12: Executing Your Game Plan: From Insight to Action (Capstone with Nicholas Tobey)

Among other skills, you will learn to:

  • Integrate foundational theory in economics, finance, accounting, and operations into rural healthcare business practice with confidence
  • Utilize cash, human capital, other resources, and their flow to impact positive change in your healthcare organization and rural community
  • Confidently and fluently communicate about aspects of healthcare business administration with all levels and units in your organization
  • Make strategic decisions that enhance the performance of yourself and others
  • Exercise your mindset, and influence the mindset of others, to achieve greatness, whatever your situation
  • Apply modern tools of business administration to solve real challenges and positively impact the trajectory of rural health and healthcare

The Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare is an opportunity for healthcare professionals wanting to further their understanding of the business of healthcare in a rural context and to identify and tackle the unique challenges and opportunities in non-urban areas.

Professionals who will benefit most from this certificate are: 

  • Clinical professionals such as physicians and nurses wanting to gain a solid basis of management, business, and administrative knowledge that is crucial to the success of rural healthcare operations
  • Professionals working in administration and operations wishing to gain insights into rural healthcare
  • Professionals working in human resources who want to identify innovative ways to attract and retain talent in rural healthcare organizations
  • Experienced professionals, including executives, directors, and MBA and MHA degree holders wishing to reexamine business topics through a rural lens in order to maximize positive outcomes in their communities
  • Healthcare professionals considering applying for a full MBA program who wish to sample aspects of a full degree before fully committing (Graduates will be able to count four credits to be used within the University of Arizona system)


Don’t see yourself in the above-mentioned roles? We recommend that you inquire with us to discuss your unique situation with your dedicated Enrollment Advisor.

What You Will Earn

  • A Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare from Eller Executive Education 
  • Digital badges
  • 24 CMEs/ CEUs

University of Arizona

Bringing Wellness to the Workplace

Eller Executive Education is passionate about disrupting traditional executive education. By exploring the latest science in leadership development, modern business management theory, and contemporary learning design, they help organizations in over 93 global locations discover new ways to lead, manage, and innovate. Eller Executive Education is the fastest progressing executive education provider and holds a No. 5 ranking in the U.S. and No. 15 ranking globally for Customized Executive Education in the Financial Times Executive Education Ranking 2019.

As the non-degree leadership development arm of the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management, Eller Executive Education is connected to leading institutions that are internationally recognized for pioneering research, offering an innovative curriculum, working with distinguished faculty, their social responsibility, and their excellence in management information systems and entrepreneurship.

93

global locations have benefited from Eller Executive Education’s programs

25+

years of experience delivering executive education programs behind Eller Executive Education

Top 5

status has been maintained by Eller College of Management in the MIS undergraduate rankings by U.S. News & World Report since 1989 (the inception of the rankings)

#8

in Entrepreneurship (Eller College of Management, U.S. News & World Report 2020)

#7

nationally for Public Online MBA Program (Eller College of Management, U.S. News & World Report, 2020)

#5

ranking in the U.S. and #15 ranking globally for Customized Executive Education Programs (Eller Executive Education, Financial Times 2019)

Key Program Features

11 passionate academic experts present their topics of expertise

11 passionate academic experts present their topics of expertise

Flexible online program, designed for remote learning

Get inspired to push forward and activate your resources by 3 top-performing athletes

Get inspired to push forward and activate your resources by 3 top-performing athletes

Graduates earn a certificate from Eller Executive Education, 24 CMEs/CEUs, and digital badges

Specialized curriculum focused on business in a rural healthcare context

Specialized curriculum focused on business in a rural healthcare context

Graduates will be able to count 4 credits to be used within the University of Arizona system

Get substantial, research-based knowledge on an MBA-level, condensed into 12 weeks

Get substantial, research-based knowledge on an MBA-level, condensed into 12 weeks

Practical: Learners work toward a culminating capstone project throughout the certificate

Practical: Learners work toward a culminating capstone project throughout the certificate

Our Content

OpusVi™ and Eller Executive Education created this remarkable program with healthcare, business, and sports experts to meet the unique needs of today’s healthcare professionals working in rural areas. 

  • Accessible: The learning content is 100% online and designed for remote learning, offering an engaging experience.
  • Guided: An expert instructor gives you frequent feedback on self-reflective exercises and discussions.
  • Social: You’ll study in a cohort of rural healthcare professionals, allowing you to build a community to help your community.

The cost of a two-year MBA program in the U.S. can be upwards of $100K. In contrast, our Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare offers an accelerated 12-week business program for the affordable price of $4,995. 

While a full MBA program will most likely not be specialized, the Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare is geared towards learners who want to learn more about the business of healthcare. It gives them foundational knowledge in economics, business strategy, operations, human resources, finances, and innovation in a healthcare-specific context that they can apply to their daily work straight away. It examines these business and management topics through a rural perspective, which is often not included in traditional MBA or MHA programs.

While our Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare is beneficial on its own, it’s also an excellent way to sample aspects of a full MBA degree before committing. You will gain foundational knowledge in economics, business strategy, operations, human resources, finances, and leadership that are able to stand on their own but will also be helpful to expand on, should you choose to enroll in a long-format program. Graduates of the Mini-MBA in Healthcare will be able to count four credits to be used within the University of Arizona system.

The difference between the programs is that the Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare looks at the learning content through a rural lens and that learning content, exercises, and the capstone project are tailored to healthcare management and business in rural areas. Neither of the programs is better than the other, meaning that you can make a confident choice depending on where you work and which of the programs will help you make a greater impact. They each feature a high-quality curriculum developed by a team of academic experts that is supplemented by insights from top athletes. Both of our Mini-MBA programs were developed under guidance from healthcare professionals to ensure that the unique needs of healthcare experts — whether they work in a rural or urban setting — are met.

The learning content for the Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare features topics of high importance to healthcare management in rural settings, such as community engagement and stakeholder management in rural areas, talent acquisition and retention, and the reality of finance in a rural setting. Please review the curriculum for more information.

Yes, in fact the Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare was specifically designed to give candidates foundational knowledge in business, management, and administration topics relating to healthcare in rural areas. It’s also a great opportunity to formalize circumstantial knowledge which you have picked up along the way.

The program costs $2,995 USD. There will be no additional fees for this program.

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Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare
Mini-MBA in Rural Healthcare

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