Healthcare Management and Leadership Program

Program Dates*
Spring 2025

Location*
West Los Angeles Campus
6100 Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045

Investment: General registration discounts are available for Pepperdine students,  alumni, veterans, and previous Executive Education program participants. Please "Request Information" or contact execed@pepperdine.edu for additional information.

Achievement: A certificate of completion and digital badge is awarded upon successful completion of the program. This program does not carry academic units/credit

*Dates and locations may change. We will notify participants of any changes in a timely manner.

Course: Healthcare Leadership and Change
This introduction will focus on health care org leadership, health care org design, networked services, and the triple aim platform and the challenges presented for organizations to remain flexible and adaptable in responding to the healthcare reform. Given the rapid changes in healthcare, leaders in this sector are faced with a multitude of decisions in very complex environments. We will investigate the topics mentioned above and explore frameworks for understanding critical decision making in these areas. Participants will gain a greater understanding of creating alignment between organizational strategy and managerial structures required for thriving in a volatile industry.

Lecture: The Business of Healthcare
Healthcare spending is now nearly 18% of the entire GDP of the U.S. economy. The S&P healthcare sector has been one of the best producing segments of the market for the last five years, and growth of healthcare expenditures continue to escalate at a rapid pace. This has triggered an abundance of opportunities for those interested in a career in healthcare management, investing, or entrepreneurialism. The Business of Healthcare lecture will present the current market framework based on the experience of a successful business builder and investor. Lecture will begin with the discussion of the channels of distribution of healthcare delivery, from providers, to practitioners, to consumer-facing "healthcare lite" sectors of the market. Impact of the regulatory environment, with specific focus on the Affordable Care Act, will be evaluated.

Overview of private equity investing will be probed, with many specific market examples of how investors develop an investment thesis, identify specific targets, diligence companies, and close an investment. High-level discussion around building financial modeling for target acquisitions will be presented, and the lecture will delve into the burgeoning area of outcomes management and its future impact on positioning, reimbursement and clinical outcomes. Lecture may include preparatory readings and robust in-class discussion requiring student engagement. Lecture will be especially valuable for those interested in a career in managing a healthcare company, starting a healthcare company, healthcare investing, healthcare administration, or other healthcare-related entity business.

Course: Technology and Innovation
Course Schedule:

• Intro to tech in HC and CEO issues and financial reporting– Relation to technology (strategy and operational aspects for effectiveness and efficiency)
• Technology reducing costs while increasing accuracy and reducing risk
• Patient engagement through technology
• Technology advances that change care programs and the managing care model
• Information, Data, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence

Course: Talent Management Capabilities for an Evolving Healthcare Landscape
Across industries, sectors, and organization sizes, executives are increasingly demanding hard evidence that talent development and succession planning practices impact business performance outcomes. These trends are particularly acute for our nation's $2.9 trillion healthcare industry, as hospitals and health systems face the twin challenges of sharply rising demand for healthcare services along with diminishing pools of leadership talent. Healthcare executives are confronted with the ongoing rollout of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), reimbursement degradation and shrinking margins, the viability of accountable care organizations, and the imminent wave of executive retirements. One particularly alarming trend is the expected surge in CEO and senior leadership team turnover due to the retiring Baby Boomer generation. The financial losses and disruptions to leadership team continuity in healthcare organizations will be incredibly high, as the estimated cost of CEO turnover at a single hospital is $1.5 million while approximately 75% of healthcare CEOs anticipate retiring in the next 10 years.

To effectively prepare for the unprecedented departure of leadership talent while aligning people development practices in an uncertain business environment, hospitals and health systems must develop talent management capabilities—the talent management and succession planning practices that enhance bench strength in critical leadership positions, ensure smooth transitions in executive roles, and cultivate leadership talent across the organization. Growing research indicates that many healthcare organizations are now reaping the benefits of proactively investing in the development of talent management capabilities.
Drawing on robust research findings, including national benchmarking surveys, case studies of exemplary healthcare organizations, and consulting engagements, this course presents a series of evidence-based strategies for developing talent and sustaining leadership continuity in healthcare organizations. The evidence-based talent management strategies and practices addressed in this course will include talent review practices, high-potential leadership assessment and development, top management team engagement strategies, selection and onboarding practices, role-based leadership development, talent management ROI practices, and strategies for cultivating a leadership development culture in healthcare organizations.

Healthcare executives looking for accelerated leadership development that will help them successfully navigate change, accelerate their career development and bring immediate value back to their organization.

• Individuals in health care delivery organizations, including hospitals, health systems, home health, physician practice organizations and alternative delivery organizations.
• Individuals in life sciences organizations, including drug and medical device/ medical supply.
• Individuals in manufacturing, including pharma and biotechnology.
• Individuals in payers and managed care organizations.