Academic Courses > DOS 752
DOS 752 - Operational Issues in Radiation Oncology
Course Description
Radiation Oncology departments are in essence small to medium sized businesses. Some operate under the umbrella of a larger organization, and many are stand-alone entities.In order to provide patent care, departments must have adequate equipment in good working order. They must have sufficient staff with appropriate training. They must pay their utility bills and receive payments for services rendered. This class explores the business side of radiation oncology. Topics covered included strategic planning, human resources, accreditation, billing, budgeting, quality assurance, and quality improvement.
Assessment
This class was highly interactive, with 6 discussion posts and 6 activities to complete. I thought the approach of dedicating a class solely to the business aspects of healthcare was a smart design move. By getting us in front of our department administrators to gather data for discussion posts, we learned more than just a textbook description
Selected Writings
Week 1 Discussion: Loyola's Mission Statement and SWOT Analysis
Week 2 Activity: Analyzing Job Descriptions
Week 3 Discussion/Activity: Accreditation at Loyola
Week 4 Discussion: ICD and CPT Coding
Week 5 Discussion: Budgeting
Week 6 Discussion: Continuous Quality Improvement
Week 6 Activity: 510(k) Flow Chart
Week 2 Activity: Analyzing Job Descriptions
Week 3 Discussion/Activity: Accreditation at Loyola
Week 4 Discussion: ICD and CPT Coding
Week 5 Discussion: Budgeting
Week 6 Discussion: Continuous Quality Improvement
Week 6 Activity: 510(k) Flow Chart
Reflections
At the conclusion of each course, students are asked to reflect on what they have learned about the material and about themselves. The reflection is guided by five questions:
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this course were...
This class taught me more about the management aspects of radiation oncology departments. Healthcare administration and regular business administration are of course tightly linked, but healthcare environments have a host of specific concerns unique to patient care regulations.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me by...
If I ever rise into a management position, knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of healthcare administrators will get me started on the right foot.
I struggle with...
Billing and accreditation are areas where I have little experience. I am of course familiar with the big picture ideas, but there is so much depth to these topics that it can be (and usually is) a full time job to keep track of them.
I feel pretty good about...
My first 2 degrees were in business, so much of this material was familiar. It was nice to see how my past experiences can provide value as I move into a new career path.
Other reflective thoughts...
Administrators are often former clinical staff members, because clinical people have a strong sense of how a facility should operate clinically. They will have to be trained in the skills of business operation. A dedicated administrator will likely have a better sense of how organizations should be managed, but the unique needs of a healthcare organization may be beyond the scope of their experience. Developing both skill sets takes time and effort.
The new knowledge and skills I gained during this course were...
This class taught me more about the management aspects of radiation oncology departments. Healthcare administration and regular business administration are of course tightly linked, but healthcare environments have a host of specific concerns unique to patient care regulations.
The new knowledge and skills will benefit me by...
If I ever rise into a management position, knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of healthcare administrators will get me started on the right foot.
I struggle with...
Billing and accreditation are areas where I have little experience. I am of course familiar with the big picture ideas, but there is so much depth to these topics that it can be (and usually is) a full time job to keep track of them.
I feel pretty good about...
My first 2 degrees were in business, so much of this material was familiar. It was nice to see how my past experiences can provide value as I move into a new career path.
Other reflective thoughts...
Administrators are often former clinical staff members, because clinical people have a strong sense of how a facility should operate clinically. They will have to be trained in the skills of business operation. A dedicated administrator will likely have a better sense of how organizations should be managed, but the unique needs of a healthcare organization may be beyond the scope of their experience. Developing both skill sets takes time and effort.
Academic Courses > DOS 752
|
Published December 10, 2015
Fourth Semester, 12 Months into Internship |