Health Facility Administrators Board Listens to Proposal to Create HFA Bachelors and Masters Programs

At its September 23rd meeting the Indiana Chapter of the American College of Health Care Administrators briefly addressed the members of the Indiana Health Facility Administrators Board to describe recent discussions with universities in Indiana, including St. Francis in Ft. Wayne and Indiana University, to create 4-year baccalaureate programs and a masters program in Health Facility administration.  The focus of the presentation was to test the Board’s interest in creating a more flexible regulatory structure within the AIT program so that the requisite AIT hours could be partially satisfied during the academic process and completed at the end of the academic program with a “capstone” AIT program.  This flexibility would be critical to universities developing any baccalaureate or masters level programs in order to attract students.  Any change to the AIT program in this fashion would require changes to the regulations, which is at best a year-long process.  IHCA is coordinating with the Indiana ACHCA Chapter, as well as colleagues at LeadingAge and HOPE.  We will keep membership up to date on any progress.