WGU Launches New Value-Based Healthcare Degree

SALT LAKE CITY, Sept. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- To address an urgent shortage of healthcare professionals needed to navigate an increasingly complex healthcare system, Western Governors University (WGU) is now offering a first-of-its-kind Bachelor of Science Health Services Coordination (BSHSC) degree program. The program, which began accepting applications September 1, will prepare graduates to coordinate among healthcare providers, patients, caregivers, and services to improve the effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of an evolving healthcare system.

In addition to medical coordination skills, students will develop competencies in leadership skills, cultural awareness, patient-centered care coordination, and the ability to identify and intervene with high-risk patients through WGU's proprietary Professional Leadership and Communication course.

"This new degree program will help individuals advance their careers in a fast-growing health profession," said Dr. Stephanie LaPuma, Academic Program Director/Associate Dean in WGU's College of Health Professions. "Aligning curriculum with current workforce needs is at the core of what we do. This degree program is specifically designed to offer individuals a pathway to a value-based healthcare career that is in high demand."

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs in health services coordination will increase 20% by 2026. This degree program will benefit students new to health professions, while also creating a bachelor's degree pathway for experienced pre- and paraprofessionals, medical assistants, certified nursing assistants (CNAs), home health aides, EMTs, paramedics, and military medics seeking job security or promotion. BSHSC graduates will be prepared to navigate emerging value-based care systems, promote patient-centered holistic care, and provide integrated care management. 

The BSHSC, like all WGU degree programs, is competency-based, allowing students to study and learn on their own schedules and advance as soon as they demonstrate mastery of course materials. WGU's affordable tuition of approximately $7,000 per year and flexible learning model make it possible for busy students to earn an accredited degree on a tight schedule.

Details of the program are available at www.wgu.edu/BShealthservices.

About WGU
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 115,000 students nationwide and has more than 154,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation's leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 22 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today's rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, and was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.

Follow WGU:
http://www.facebook.com/wgu.edu  
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/western-governors-university  
http://twitter.com/wgu  
http://www.youtube.com/WesternGovernorsUniv  
http://news.wgu.edu/news/news.xml

Contact for enrollment information:
866-225-5948
wgu.edu

Contact for media inquiries:                                         
Melissa Luke, Senior Manager, Public Relations        
385-428-9813                                                                    
[email protected]

SOURCE Western Governors University

Related Links

http://www.wgu.edu