Inaugural program director Dr. LaToya Trowers Bell discusses how the MGH Institute’s new 36-credit program is designed for people who want to develop policies and procedures that impact every aspect of patient care.

Dr. LaToya Trowers Bell has a history of starting successful academic programs, so she’s excited to have been named the inaugural director of the MGH Institute’s Master of Health Administration program.

Dr. Bell, currently an assistant professor of Health Policy & Management in the School of Public Health at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, will join the IHP in January 2023. The MHA program is comprised of 36 credits over five semesters that includes field and immersion experiences and offers a human-centered leadership focus that is unique in the field.

What interested you in joining the MGH Institute?

I would say what really intrigued me about the program was it’s my field, healthcare administration. I love to work with programs from the ground up to help them grow. I’ve created programs at other colleges so the chance to work at the MGH Institute with its wonderful vision and commitment to diversity and equity really appealed to me. The school’s focus on interprofessional education also was a major draw – it’s important to provide students with an understanding of how all the parts fit together to provide quality care in any healthcare organization.

What makes healthcare administration unique?

A lot of people think health care revolves around physicians and nurses, but healthcare administrators conduct important work behind the scenes, making important large-scale decisions, while working to ensure the long-term success of the healthcare facility.  In the field of patient care, healthcare administrators are intimately familiar with the regulatory framework. In contrast to nurses and physicians, their responsibilities are completely different. They develop policies and procedures that impact every aspect of patient care, and I am eager to connect students with another rewarding career option in health care, as healthcare administrators, where they can make a difference. 

Why are people going into healthcare administration?

Many students that I have taught were interested in a healthcare career, but they were not interested in providing bedside care. There are a variety of exciting careers in healthcare administration, such as practice managers, program managers, outpatient directors, long-term care administrators, human resources, and finance executives as well as chief operating officers, chief quality officers, and CEOs.  Healthcare administration is also a field that provides numerous opportunities for career advancement and growth, as one gains firsthand experience and knowledge in leadership. 

The pandemic prompted a lot of people to seek opportunities in healthcare administration because they wanted to be in health care and make a difference in the lives of others, but they did not want to do direct care.  It’s a dynamic field that is on the move. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the field will grow by more than 30% by 2029, which is much faster that the national average for all jobs. That means the United States is expected to add more than 133,000 healthcare administrators to the workforce in that period. Now is the perfect time to consider this exciting, growing field.

What do you see is something unique about the program?

I really appreciate the Institute’s commitment to justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity (JEDI). It is important to have knowledge in these areas to understand how to develop policies that promote health equity and build inclusive programs that serve all members of a community. For example, when conducting a community needs assessment, healthcare administrators can help identify the strengths, weaknesses, and environmental issues that impact specific communities. Having the Institute’s JEDI initiative integrated with the MHA program is really important to me.

What will you be initially focused on when you begin in January?

It’s a brand-new program that will be in its second semester of operating so I want to review everything to see what might be improved on so that we can work towards program accreditation and increasing student enrollment. In addition, I will be working towards designing an enriching curricula, creating partnerships for student immersions, developing interprofessional relationships throughout the IHP, and upholding our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.