Strategies to Achieve Competencies during Disruptive Change: Emerging Employer Needs and their Impact on Program Deliverables in the Healthcare Sector

The impacts of disruptive change on competency-based education are receiving considerable attention from educators in many sectors across the globe. Systemic disruptive change in healthcare involves substantial changes in institutional performance measurement and reimbursement, and requires timecritical adoption of responsive innovation and management skills on the part of healthcare leaders. From the educational perspective, however, the challenge under disruptive change is the identification of emerging employer needs and corresponding program deliverables of required student competencies. This study presents the results of a focus group of 22 senior executives across various health entities and regions as part of a strategy to develop innovative approaches to address required competency changes in health management education. This paper identifies four major focus areas: (a) required technical competencies; (b) competencies to address change; (c) anticipated challenges; and (d) educational strategies for healthcare management programs. Needed competencies and changes in program objectives were developed through a systematic, evidence-based, consensus building approach using interviews to elicit information that would serve as a foundation for healthcare management education redesign. The needed competencies included enhanced interpersonal skills, transformational leadership skills, collaborative communication, concise presentation skills, and strong skills in data analysis.