What does a physician in Western Pennsylvania and an information technology director from Western Maryland have in common? They both decided to enhance their skills with an Executive MBA in Healthcare from the University of Pittsburgh. By seeing a holistic view of healthcare, they now perform at a higher level.
MBA Enhances Interactions Between Clinical and Non-Clinical Colleagues
Matthew Bouchard, MD, MBA, Chair of Emergency Medicine at UPMC Altoona and UPMC Bedford and Medical Staff President at UPMC Altoona, uses what he learned in the organizational behavior, statistics, and Excel courses daily.
Bouchard feels his clinical and non-clinical colleagues at UPMC have a lot of mutual respect regardless of differing educational backgrounds.
He found “having a better understanding of business concepts such as financial reports, accounting, marketing and obviously organizational behavior courses adds some additional credibility, particularly with non-clinical administrative staff.”
Asa Simmons, MBA, senior manager in the information technology department at UPMC Western Maryland, credits this MBA in Healthcare program from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business for giving him a better understanding of clinical, business and financial operations, which makes him better equipped to understand and serve the needs of end users.
“I am a firm believer that process should drive technology and not vice versa,” says Simmons. “I can direct my teams to design more efficient software workflows that provide a better user experience, more effectively deploy robotic process automation routines to save clinical user’s time and develop more clinically relative reports that make clinicians more effective.”
The Value of Understanding Human Motivations
Moving from a clinical position into a leadership role includes dealing with interpersonal issues that result from managing a team. Bouchard now has a deeper knowledge of how people make decisions, and the skills to bring people together to work as a team and move in a positive direction.
“Gaining a better understanding of how to create a more rewarding work environment, and what factors make people want to get up in the morning and come to work has been very helpful, especially during challenging times during a pandemic and staffing shortages, when coming to work can seem like a big lift,” says Bouchard.
When Simmons learned how behavioral economics can produce better healthcare, he started to challenge himself to “understand human nature, habits and routines when designing and implementing a software system.”
Leadership Skills Improve Patient Care
“As someone in a leadership position, I think it is imperative that you are always trying to improve yourself,” says Simmons. “By bettering myself I can provide more value to my teams and ultimately make myself and my teams better at providing service to our customers and patients.”
Learn More About the Executive MBA in Healthcare
Register for an upcoming online information session, visit the program website or email the Katz Executive Programs at executiveprograms@Katz.pitt.edu with any questions.
