MS in Population Health Pharmacy

*US Healthcare Organization & Delivery (3 credits)

Provides an overview of how health care is organized, delivered and financed in the United States. Traces the historical evolution in political, economic, and social contexts, including distribution and access to medical and other services, roles of public and private insurance for health care, and structure of healthcare benefits. Addresses current issues in US healthcare organization, delivery, and financing as well as policies and approaches that impact changes in healthcare delivery. Compares US organization and delivery to systems and models used in other countries.

*Essentials of Population Health (3 credits)

Introduces and extends the analytical framework provided by contemporary models of community health and community Health Assessment to explore how health outcomes for populations are influenced by social, economic, environmental, behavioral and political factors. Addresses distinguishing characteristics of populations defined by geography, diagnosis and/or point of care. Describes how clinical and non-clinical evidence is used to measure health-related outcomes, analyze patterns, communicate results, identify best practices and implement effective interventions. Poses ethical questions inherent to the study of the health of populations and to strategies for managing population health.

Introduction to Healthcare Quality and Safety (3 credits)

Presents concepts of health care quality and safety as horizontally and vertically integrated throughout the healthcare system. Provides models for demonstrating the association between quality and safety and healthcare economics, regulation, accreditation and information technology and relates these concepts to population health.

Health Policy: Analysis and Development (3 credits)

Prepares students to apply policy analysis tools to define and address health policy issues and problems. Uses the Medicare program to illustrate the policy development process. Examines the complexity of policy problems and provides the basic tools used in policy design, feasibility analysis, implementation and evaluation. Builds on prior coursework and incorporates stakeholder analysis and role of socio-cultural contexts, and economic, legal, and ethical perspectives in establishing a policy analysis framework.

Evidence-Based Medicine and Care Pathway Development (3 credits)

Prepares students to implement evidence-based method in the creation of care pathway development that increases patient safety, improves health outcomes, and reduces health care resource utilization.  Reinforces concepts of biomedical literature review, health statistics, medication cost-effectiveness, and patient safety.

*Pharmacy Informatics and Healthcare Data Analytics (3 credits)

Focuses on the role of medication-related data within healthcare systems and the impact on health outcomes.  Includes data acquisition, analysis, use, and dissemination and the contribution to patient care.  Emphasizes the translation of data analytics into the application of healthcare practices and policies. 

*Pharmacy Benefit Design (3 credits)

Prepares students to apply evidence-based medicine to create cost-containment strategies that enhance patient health outcomes while serving to optimize the use of health care resources.  Focuses on pharmacy benefit design (commercial, Medicare), formulary management, specialty pharmacy management, contracting, pricing and rebating, and accountable care and programs.

Applied Pharmacoeconomics (3 credits)

Focuses on the theories, methods, and computer modeling of pharmacoeconomic principles.  Application of principles will be in the setting of improved resource allocation within medication use systems.

*Pharmacoepidemiology (3 credits)

Details the intended and adverse effects of drugs, vaccines, and biologics use in various populations as well as drug utilization patterns, adherence, and medication safety signal detection.

Capstone Seminar (3 credits)

Prepares students for development and implementation of capstone project. Enhances ability to interpret and apply data analytics, evidence-based medicine, pharmacoeconomics and medication cost containment strategies.  Discusses and presents practical examples. Stresses the application of population health pharmacy and impact on health outcomes.

Capstone (3 credits)

Students develop and present a population health pharmacy project. Serves as culminating experience that demonstrates satisfactory achievement in the principles of population health pharmacy.

Courses noted with an * are required for the Graduate Certificate in Population Health Pharmacy.