Identifying core components of healthcare administration and leadership training programs: A comprehensive website...

To identify the core components and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) prioritized in US-based educational programs focused on healthcare administration. Once identified, these core components and KSAs can inform curriculum development and standardize pharmacy administration and leadership (PAL) training to better prepare future healthcare leaders.

A comprehensive website document analysis was conducted using a 3-phased methodology: (1) identifying programs through systematic website searches, (2) extracting data on mission statements, vision statements, learning outcomes, core competencies, and course descriptions of identified programs, and (3) performing inductive thematic coding to identify recurring KSAs and curricular themes.

Data were collected from 147 programs, with Master of Business Administration programs constituting the largest group (48.3%), followed by Master of Health Administration programs (41.5%), PAL Master of Science programs (6.1%), and Master of Science in Health Services Administration (4.1%). Leadership development, financial management, and strategic planning were emphasized across programs. Many programs include courses on healthcare operations, law and policy, data analysis, and finance. However, areas such as change management and cultural competence were underrepresented, highlighting gaps in current curricula.

The study identified key KSAs and core components that can serve as a foundation for designing more comprehensive healthcare administration curricula. Notably, critical areas such as change management, cultural competence, and human resources/conflict management were underrepresented across programs, highlighting opportunities for targeted curricular enhancement. Standardizing and refining PAL programs based on these components can help ensure that pharmacy administrators and leaders acquire the competencies necessary to address the evolving challenges of healthcare. Future research should explore the alignment of current programs with these core components and assess their impact on educational and practice outcomes.