Lipscomb University Master of Health Administration program becomes first in Nashville to receive prestigious CAHME accreditation

CAHME accreditation opens doors for career advancement, greater earnings for students

Kim Chaudoin | 03/04/2024

The Lipscomb University College of Business Master of Health Administration (MHA) program has achieved initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), making it the first and only program in Nashville to receive this prestigious recognition.

The Nashville healthcare industry contributes an overall economic benefit of $68 billion and more than 333,000 jobs to the local economy annually, making Lipscomb’s MHA program accreditation a significant milestone in the city's educational landscape. More than 500 healthcare companies have operations in Nashville and work on a multistate, national or international basis. Globally, Nashville’s healthcare industry generates more than $97 billion in revenue and nearly 500,000 jobs. 

“Receiving accreditation from CAHME is a testament to the unwavering commitment of Lipscomb University and the College of Business to provide exceptional education in healthcare management,” said Ray Eldridge, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Business. “Having a CAHME-accredited program provides more professional opportunities for our students as many healthcare organizations only hire those with degrees from accredited programs. This recognition further solidifies our position as a leader in preparing the next generation of healthcare administrators and leaders.” 

Lipscomb joins an elite group of only 95 universities in the nation with CAHME-accredited MHA programs, including Baylor University, Johns Hopkins University, Texas A&M University, The Ohio State University, Trinity University, Tulane University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Xavier University. Lipscomb’s program is one of only two CAHME-accredited programs in Tennessee and the only one in the state with AACSB and CAHME accreditations. 

The CAHME-accreditation process is rigorous and comprehensive, focusing on program quality, curriculum content and faculty expertise. Lipscomb University's MHA program excelled in meeting and exceeding these stringent standards, reflecting its dedication to maintaining excellence in healthcare management education.

The Lipscomb MHA features dynamic and innovative curriculum, expert faculty and hands-on experiences to give students the competitive edge needed to become a leader in this rapidly growing industry. The program may be completed in two years and is designed for early-mid career professionals with up to six years of experience in healthcare and with an interest in or on a managerial track and for clinical professionals with any level of experience who are currently in or desire an administrative role. The program is offered in a hybrid format with one weekend each month in person, with the rest of the coursework completed asynchronously online allowing students to continue working full-time. Other program features include professional immersion with visits to companies that cover the healthcare spectrum engaging with leaders and addressing real-time challenges, and an international component with a short-term travel study trip to the Netherlands. Lipscomb’s program boasts a 100% job placement rate for its graduates. 

“Being located in one of the nation’s leading healthcare cities, Lipscomb’s MHA program has close connections to many industry leaders in Nashville, which provides outstanding learning and professional opportunities for our students,” said Lesley Tomaszewski, director of Lipscomb’s MHA program. “Our advisory board of industry experts is engaged and dynamic, and our students are developing skills they can apply immediately on the job. Receiving CAHME accreditation is an affirmation of not only the quality of our program but its effectiveness, and we are thrilled about the tremendous impact this will have on our students.” 

Lipscomb’s pursuit of CAHME accreditation is already having an impact on students. 

“The strong reputation of Lipscomb University and its vision to become CAHME-accredited influenced my decision to attend the university to pursue my graduate degree,” said MHA student Nick Pounder, vice president of operations at TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center, who is on track to graduate in May. “Many healthcare leaders in town have either gotten their bachelor's or master's degrees from Lipscomb. My experience in Lipscomb’s program allows me to apply the knowledge and processes I have acquired right away.” 

He encourages others in the field to continue their education. “Students looking to get into healthcare or grow should never stop being curious and asking questions,” Pounder advised. “The healthcare industry is always evolving and changing. Understanding the why behind something is incredibly powerful and impactful.”  

MHA degrees are considered by industry professionals as the gold standard for preparing mid-careerists. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for health administrators and managers are projected to grow 28% from now until 2031, making it one of the fastest-growing professions. MHA graduates with an interprofessional education specialization work in hospitals, nursing homes, group medical practices, and other related organizations. A study by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education indicates that 90 percent of graduates from accredited master’s degree programs go on to jobs in healthcare management within three months. 

Launched in 2018, Lipscomb’s program was developed by Bart Liddle, associate professor in the College of Business, in collaboration with an advisory board comprised of healthcare executives. 

“From the very beginning we focused on building the MHA program with CAHME accreditation in mind,” explained Liddle. “With Nashville being considered by many to be the ‘healthcare capital’ of the country, it didn’t have a CAHME-accredited MHA program. That was the gap I sought to fill. While I got things kicked off, Dr. Tomaszewski and her leadership ultimately enabled us to reach the goal of CAHME accreditation. Now we are the only program in Tennessee that is both AACSB and CAHME accredited. This is a great milestone for our program and more importantly for our students.”

Learn more about Lipscomb’s Master of Health Administration here. 

A national leader in business education

This is the latest accomplishment for Lipscomb University’s College of Business. It is consistently recognized nationally as a leader in business education. This spring it was ranked in the top 50 undergraduate programs in the nation for the eighth consecutive year by Poets&Quants and being named a Business Program of Distinction. In 2020 Poets&Quants selected the College of Business as one of ten undergraduate business schools in the nation to watch and ranked Lipscomb as the top undergraduate business program in Tennessee. Last spring, the publication named two students among the top 100 students in the Best & Brightest Class of 2023. Also last year, the undergraduate business program obtained the U.S. News Best Business School status, listed as third in Tennessee behind only Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. In addition, Lipscomb’s MBA program acquired its first U.S. News ranking, placing among the top five business schools in Tennessee, and in 2023 Niche.com ranked Lipscomb’s business program No. 1 and No. 3 in accounting in Tennessee. The College of Business is accredited by AACSB International (AACSB) and the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

The College of Business offers undergraduate degrees in accounting, business as mission, data analytics, data science, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, general business, general finance, management and marketing. Through the College of Business’s Pfeffer Graduate School of Business, graduate programs include the Master of Accountancy and Certificate in Accountancy, the Professional Master of Business Administration (MBA), the Fast Track MBA and the Master of Health Administration. Learn more at www.lipscomb.edu/business.