Hospital and Health Care Administration | Executive and Continuing Professional Education | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Programs

Program for Chairs of Clinical Services
- January 21, 2024 – February 2, 2024
- January 19 – 31, 2025
The Program for Chairs of Clinical Services brings together chairs of major clinical departments in teaching hospitals for intensive and systematic study of the critical leadership and management issues facing chairs, their departments, and teaching hospitals.
Conflict, Feedback, and Negotiation in Health Care
- February 27 – 29, 2024
Increase your competence as a physician leader in the critical management areas of navigating conflict, providing feedback, and skillfully approaching negotiations.
Financial Management in Health Care for Non-Financial Managers
- March 26 – 28, 2024
Increase your financial literacy as a physician leader. In this course, you will learn financial management and control, and how to interact more effectively with finance personnel.
Leadership Strategies for Evolving Health Care Executives
- April 1 – 5, 2024
Develop the health care leadership skills you need to achieve individual and organizational objectives. You will gain skills to lead more effectively, including conflict resolution, operational analysis, employee management, and quality management.
Innovation with AI in Health Care
- May 7 – 10, 2024
Innovation with AI in Health Care will help leaders of health care organizations develop the skills needed to realize the value of AI in health care and advance their careers through demonstrating leadership in digital transformation of health care. It also brings together a diverse community of leaders from the technical, clinical, and business worlds.
Leading in Health SystemsActivating Transformational Change
- May 15 – 17, 2024
Initiate and implement change in health care by leveraging meta-leadership. You will explore both meta-leadership concepts and the ‘Walk in the Woods’ methodology, a proven method for interest-based negotiation.
Emerging Women Executives in Health Care
- June 4 – 7, 2024
This leadership development program focused on women provides you with the skills to lead complex health care organizations. Participating in this course will help you bridge the gaps in your understanding, strategies, and skills, and prepare you for the next stage in your career.
Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers
- October 13 – 25, 2024
- November 3 – 15, 2024
Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centers brings together physicians in administrative positions in academic health centers, who lead a clinical division and report directly to the chair of their department, for intensive and systematic study of the critical leadership and management issues facing academic health centers.
Leadership Development to Advance Equity in Health Care
- November 5 – 8, 2024
Traditional medical education lacks training on how the health care system is influenced by racism and how outdated policies perpetuate disparities. This program will teach you how to confront and remediate unfair practices and advance health equity in your community or practice.
Foundations of Mental Health Care
The International Leadership Development Program for Physicians

News & Resources

Ever Consider Joining a Board? — New HBR Podcast

On November 27, 2023, the Harvard Business Review Women at Work podcast hosted a roster of successful board members—including Harvard Chan faculty member Ellen Zane—to discuss how they attained board seats and advanced from there. In the episode titled Ever Consider Joining a Board?, Ellen Zane talks about the importance of boards in providing organizational … Continue reading “Ever Consider Joining a Board? — New HBR Podcast”

Posted on November 28, 2023
Reinvigorate Your Health Care System: Build Meta-Leadership into Your Practices and Thinking

As the pandemic recedes, proactive health care leaders see a moment of opportunity. The past three years presented a host of unprecedented challenges. Now is the time to re-position their people, their system, and their leadership. How can you emerge from these three years into a renewed posture of leadership strength? “The pandemic response tested … Continue reading “Reinvigorate Your Health Care System: Build Meta-Leadership into Your Practices and Thinking”

Posted on April 21, 2023
Women on Boards: The Value of Strengthening ESG Expertise

Women who want to secure a seat on a public or private board today can increase their value by being up on the latest best practices for environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics, according to Ellen Zane, past president and chief executive officer of Tufts Medical Center and Tufts Children’s Hospital and co-program director of … Continue reading “Women on Boards: The Value of Strengthening ESG Expertise”

Posted on April 10, 2023
The Financial Pressures That Chairs of Clinical Departments Face—and How to Manage Them

Financial Challenges and Strategic Solutions for Healthcare Leaders Chairs of major clinical departments have always faced budgetary pressures. But the effects of the COVID pandemic—which have led to rising medical usage—as well as inflation and labor shortages are just some of the acute financial stressors taxing academic health centers right now. “Costs of labor and … Continue reading “The Financial Pressures That Chairs of Clinical Departments Face—and How to Manage Them”

Posted on November 28, 2022
How Health Care Leaders Can Build Effective, Bias free AI

As advances in technology have continued to evolve, many health care leaders and clinicians have been exploring the promise of artificial intelligence (AI) to empower patients and practitioners and improve the efficiency of health care organizations. Some of the benefits these technologies can bring to health care range from the ability to predict who is … Continue reading “How Health Care Leaders Can Build Effective, Bias free AI”

Posted on October 6, 2022
How Organizations Can Make Better Use of Limited Resources for More Effective Mental Health Services

It’s a well-known fact that, even in high-income countries like the United States, mental health resources are insufficient to address the overall mental health need. Waiting time to see a mental health specialist is usually from several weeks to several months. In practice, this means that there are fewer specialists able to see potential and … Continue reading “How Organizations Can Make Better Use of Limited Resources for More Effective Mental Health Services”

Posted on September 20, 2022
Approaching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Through a Future-Oriented Lens

Recent social justice movements (Black Lives Matter, #MeToo and the Women’s March, Stop AAPI Hate, and others) have spotlighted the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across all facets of our society. The workplace is no exception; even though DEI initiatives have been around in some form since the 1960s, in the months and … Continue reading “Approaching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Through a Future-Oriented Lens”

Posted on June 22, 2022
To Meet Future Needs, Health Care Leaders Must Look at the Data (Science)

As a health care leader or clinician, do you play an active role in your organization’s data science strategy? If not, you may miss out on important opportunities to help improve value, workflow, and patient outcomes. Today, health care organizations have access to more information than ever before—from emergency department records to radiology reports to … Continue reading “To Meet Future Needs, Health Care Leaders Must Look at the Data (Science)”

Posted on March 3, 2022
Exploring Opportunities for Women on Boards: 7 Tips to Help Jump-Start Your Efforts

If you’re a female executive in the health care field looking toward the next phase of your career, you might want to explore opportunities to secure a board directorship. This can be a natural progression to take your extensive management and leadership experience to the next level, according to Ellen Zane, past president and chief … Continue reading “Exploring Opportunities for Women on Boards: 7 Tips to Help Jump-Start Your Efforts”

Posted on February 1, 2022
It’s More Important Than Ever for Physician Leaders to Develop Financial Literacy—Here’s How to Start

Financial literacy will always be an important skill for a physician leader. But now, because of the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and the unique demands it imposes on budgets, the skill set is even more critical. Understanding how resources are allocated and how to negotiate and self-advocate during financial discussions has never been more important. … Continue reading “It’s More Important Than Ever for Physician Leaders to Develop Financial Literacy—Here’s How to Start”

Posted on December 14, 2021
The Art of Managing Conflict and Cultivating Influence as Health Care Leaders

It’s a stereotype with a grain of truth: leaders are often promoted for past performance, not future potential. That notion certainly rings true in health care, considering how many clinicians are regularly promoted to positions of leadership because of their clinical skills. When things don’t work out, though, it’s less often about their clinical performance … Continue reading “The Art of Managing Conflict and Cultivating Influence as Health Care Leaders”

Posted on December 14, 2021
Risk Analysis in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Weighing the Cost and Benefits of Vaccines and Masks

Every single day, people take risks. They drive in cars and fly in airplanes, expose themselves to environmental pollution and so much more. While some of these public health risks are so integrated into our lives that we’ve stopped worrying about them, other risks—such as engaging in activities that increase your likelihood of contracting COVID-19—can … Continue reading “Risk Analysis in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Weighing the Cost and Benefits of Vaccines and Masks”

Posted on November 7, 2021
Change Management: Why It’s So Important, and So Challenging, in Health Care Environments

Medical professionals excel at finding solutions in patient care. “We are great at coming up with the ‘next big thing’: we have brilliant people who are at the front lines of innovation,” says Louise Keogh Weed, program director of the Leadership Strategies for Evolving Health Care Executives program and a practice transformation specialist at the … Continue reading “Change Management: Why It’s So Important, and So Challenging, in Health Care Environments”

Posted on September 20, 2021
Algorithmic Bias in Health Care Exacerbates Social Inequities — How to Prevent It

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to drastically improve patient outcomes. AI utilizes algorithms to assess data from the world, make a representation of that data, and use that information to make an inference. From handling administrative tasks to actively diagnosing disease, AI could make treatment faster and more effective in clinical settings, especially as … Continue reading “Algorithmic Bias in Health Care Exacerbates Social Inequities — How to Prevent It”

Posted on March 12, 2021
Challenges and Opportunities for Women on Health Care Boards during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every facet of life in the United States—including forcing corporations and nonprofit organizations in the health care sector to rethink their business models in order to stay afloat. As a result, both public and private boards of directors and nonprofit boards of trustees have had to find new ways to … Continue reading “Challenges and Opportunities for Women on Health Care Boards during the COVID-19 Pandemic”

Posted on March 2, 2021
How to Build—And Lead—Resilient Health Care Teams During COVID-19

Health care workers currently face challenges that are more intense than usual during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The medical field is no stranger to crises, but COVID-19 has caused, in many cases, a profoundly heightened environment — extending not just to the professional but to the personal lives of employees, leaders, partners, and patients. “It’s … Continue reading “How to Build—And Lead—Resilient Health Care Teams During COVID-19”

Posted on September 21, 2020
The Unique Challenges – and Opportunities – Facing Leaders of Academic Health Centers During COVID-19

Academic health systems routinely test their disaster preparedness—but nothing has fully prepared organizations for the public health crisis of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, explains Mary Finlay, lecturer in the Department of Health Policy & Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and program director of the Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic … Continue reading “The Unique Challenges – and Opportunities – Facing Leaders of Academic Health Centers During COVID-19”

Posted on May 21, 2020
The Importance of Meta-Leadership During the COVID-19 Crisis

The unprecedented worldwide crisis spawned by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) makes leading in health care more challenging than ever. Executives face the stress and consequences of a pandemic on top of the tumult of an unsettled marketplace. The concepts and tools of meta-leadership help those leaders reframe adversity. It is an opportunity for building … Continue reading “The Importance of Meta-Leadership During the COVID-19 Crisis”

Posted on May 7, 2020
Transform Your Health Care Organization with Quality Improvement Skills

Physician leaders who work in a variety of health care settings all around the world face similar challenges — from managing staff members to improving financial performance — in order to lead their organizations to success. They also require a deep understanding of the science of quality improvement, which is a framework used to improve … Continue reading “Transform Your Health Care Organization with Quality Improvement Skills”

Posted on January 16, 2020
Friction on the Board: How to Deal with Challenging Power Dynamics as a Female Board Member

Serving on a for-profit or not-for-profit board can be quite fulfilling. However, obtaining a board position can be challenging, especially for women. Currently, more than 80% of seats on corporate boards are occupied by men. Merely attaining a board seat is not the only hurdle. Being a director can bring its own set of unique … Continue reading “Friction on the Board: How to Deal with Challenging Power Dynamics as a Female Board Member”

Posted on May 16, 2019
The Knowns and Unknowns of Health Care Meta-Leadership

The state of health care in this country could best be described as predictably unpredictable. The future of the Affordable Care Act—and the financing that underlies it—is open for question. Evolving technology challenges health care organizations both to keep up and to stay smart in how they adapt to new opportunities and capabilities. And the … Continue reading “The Knowns and Unknowns of Health Care Meta-Leadership”

Posted on April 3, 2019
Why Evolving Health Care Leaders Can Benefit from Stronger Management and Strategy Skills

Do you work in health care? Do you have leadership aspirations? If so, you’ll need to develop your strategy and management skills right now. That’s because in today’s rapidly changing marketplace, employees at all levels must be equipped with a much more diverse set of strengths than in the past. They need to adapt to … Continue reading “Why Evolving Health Care Leaders Can Benefit from Stronger Management and Strategy Skills”

Posted on October 22, 2018
From Physician to Physician Leader: Developing Your Skills for Success

As academic health centers are challenged by the dynamic health care environment, they must find ways to adapt in order to thrive. This has resulted in the growing trend of bringing physicians into leadership roles with the goal of introducing change and setting new directions for the institution. Physician leaders ranging from department chairs to … Continue reading “From Physician to Physician Leader: Developing Your Skills for Success”

Posted on May 24, 2018
Exploring the Challenges Facing Women Leaders in Health Care

If you’re a woman executive working in today’s complex health care setting, you likely face many challenges on the job that make it difficult to advance your career to the next stage. That’s because women in leadership roles often meet resistance when they try to assert their authority or demonstrate the same management traits that … Continue reading “Exploring the Challenges Facing Women Leaders in Health Care”

Posted on March 28, 2018
Leading Through the Complexity of Health Care Change

Health system leaders now face numerous challenges in guiding their organizations: Reimbursement is in question as the health policy debate ebbs and flows. The market is becoming increasingly consolidated and competitive. Technology provides tremendous opportunities along with significant costs and risks. In this ambiguous mix, decisions must be reached. Practices must evolve. And emotions come … Continue reading “Leading Through the Complexity of Health Care Change”

Posted on March 15, 2018
How Networking Can Help Women Secure Board Seats

If you are a woman whose career aspirations include securing a seat at the boardroom table, it’s important to hone your networking skills. This is because your professional contacts may lead you to those coveted board opportunities that best match your experience and skills, according to Ellen Zane, a nationally known health care expert and … Continue reading “How Networking Can Help Women Secure Board Seats”

Posted on November 1, 2017
How to Transform Employee Resistance through Team Building and Training

Teamwork is crucial to an organization’s ongoing success. When management runs smoothly, employees tend to enjoy their jobs, exhibit greater passion for their work, and collaborate more intelligently to positively shape their industry year after year. But when an organization is run by inefficient management who regularly causes day-to-day, or even hour-by-hour, workplace challenges that … Continue reading “How to Transform Employee Resistance through Team Building and Training”

Posted on September 20, 2017
Leading Health Care Through Unpredictable Times

Health care leaders now face a perplexing mix of puzzles. With a political push to repeal and possibly replace Obamacare – more accurately the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or ACA – the financial, service delivery, and workforce foundations of the health system are in question. It is true that managing the current operations … Continue reading “Leading Health Care Through Unpredictable Times”

Posted on February 24, 2017
Measuring Up: The Need to Incorporate Key Nursing Indicators in Electronic Health Records

One of the key developments resulting from health care reform is a growing reliance on using “big data” to guide health care systems’ efforts to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care. This trend explains why increasingly many organizations are employing Electronic Health Records (EHR) as a way to track measurable indicators of patient care and outcomes, as … Continue reading “Measuring Up: The Need to Incorporate Key Nursing Indicators in Electronic Health Records”

Posted on October 27, 2016
Improving Patient Experience and Reducing Cost by Measuring Outcomes

In the climate of health care reform, much attention has been paid to the Triple Aim of improving population health, reducing costs, and improving patient experience. The goals of the Triple Aim framework, which was developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, are complex and challenging, but become less so when broken into smaller goals … Continue reading “Improving Patient Experience and Reducing Cost by Measuring Outcomes”

Posted on September 20, 2016
Vaccinating Against an Epidemic: The Story of an Ebola Vaccine

In August 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak then raging in West Africa a “public health emergency of international concern,” a formal designation by the WHO’s Emergency Committee that reflects the fact that the disease was spreading internationally and posed a risk to other countries yet unaffected. By the time the … Continue reading “Vaccinating Against an Epidemic: The Story of an Ebola Vaccine”

Posted on July 21, 2016
Why Diversity Matters: Women on Boards of Directors

Having an effective board of directors is crucial to an organization. Even if the average person might not be able to name an organization’s board members, they have a strong impact on how an organization runs, makes decisions, and ultimately, on its success. This is particularly true in the health care, biotech, and pharmaceutical spaces, … Continue reading “Why Diversity Matters: Women on Boards of Directors”

Posted on July 21, 2016
Tuberculosis in Rural America: What Tuberculosis in Marion, AL Tells Us

Many factors could be blamed for the spread of tuberculosis in a rural Alabama town earlier this year, including its residents’ fears of being stigmatized in a small town, poverty line, and the legacy of the Tuskegee experiments.

Posted on March 28, 2016
8 Healthcare Quality Improvement Tips

There have been promising improvements in healthcare quality as a result of improvement efforts nationwide. Even so, there is still much to be done. This article offers 8 tips to improve quality in health care.

Posted on February 18, 2016
A Roadmap to Improve Customer-Centricity in Health Care

Healthcare lags behind in strategically engaging consumers. This article explores how health care organizations can engage in customer-driven strategies and improve customer centricity.

Posted on February 18, 2016
An Update on United States Healthcare Quality Improvement Efforts

The National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care was created in 2011 to guide national quality improvement efforts. This article provides an update on these efforts, five years later.

Posted on December 22, 2015
A Primer on Project Management for Health Care

Project management has emerged as one of the most prominent business skills of our time because its use can help control costs, reduce risk, and improve outcomes. Used across disciplines, project management is the process of systematically planning, organizing, and then executing a pre-determined set of steps in order to maximize resource use and achieve … Continue reading “A Primer on Project Management for Health Care”

Posted on December 17, 2015
Leading Outside Your Authority

When most people think of being a leader, they think of guiding and influencing those over whom they have direct authority. This traditional form of leadership is often the easiest and most straightforward way to get work done, but formal authority is not the only kind of influence one can – or should – have … Continue reading “Leading Outside Your Authority”

Posted on November 6, 2015
Women on Boards: A Roadmap to Success in Corporate Governance

Many women desire to hold governance positions for organizations operating in the healthcare space. Yet the road can be a very winding one, especially for women. Ellen Zane provides advice for women executive looking to obtain a board position.

Posted on August 11, 2015
Five Ways to Improve Customer Experiences with Health IT

Information technology in the healthcare industry has the capacity to improve the experience of consumers, but it if not handled properly those efforts could backfire. For every wearable device and mobile app, there’s a potential security breach lurking in the shadows. With the ability to crunch Big Data comes the responsibility to present that data … Continue reading “Five Ways to Improve Customer Experiences with Health IT”

Posted on July 8, 2015
Healthcare IT is ‘Like the Plane that Doesn’t Crash’

When it comes to information technology, the health care industry is “clearly lagging behind,” according to Ashish Jha, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s K.T. Li Professor of International Health. We live in an era when anyone with a smartphone can host a business meeting, deposit a check, and navigate the quickest route home … Continue reading “Healthcare IT is ‘Like the Plane that Doesn’t Crash’”

Posted on July 8, 2015
8 Challenges to Customer-Driven Health Care

Health care is increasingly driven by patients who are behaving more like consumers and customers as they seek the best care at the most affordable price. As the industry evolves—due to fierce cost pressures, the Affordable Care Act, advances in technology, a new emphasis on preventative care, health-system mergers, and a host of other factors—one … Continue reading “8 Challenges to Customer-Driven Health Care”

Posted on February 20, 2015