| Candidacy Program : At a Glance |
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CAHME is organized to establish criteria for the
conduct of graduate education for healthcare management; to conduct
survey programs which will encourage universities to maintain and
improve educational offerings in healthcare management; to determine
compliance with the criteria; to make available to the public, the
findings of the Commission; to assume such other responsibilities
and to conduct such other activities as are compatible with the
operation of an educational accreditation program. CAHME is the
only organization authorized to accredit Master’s level healthcare
management programs in the United States and Canada.
*CAHME's recognition by the Secretary
of the US Department of Education does not include candidate programs,
or programs in Canada.
Purpose of the Candidacy Partnership
The Candidacy Partnership is designed to establish
assistance and continuity between CAHME and programs in healthcare
management desiring CAHME accreditation. The Candidate designation
indicates that a program has voluntarily committed to participate
in a systematic plan of quality enhancement and continuous improvement
so that CAHME accreditation is a feasible and operational objective
within 5 years. However, candidacy status does not indicate accredited
status nor does it guarantee eventual accreditation. This set of
policies and procedures has been developed to explain and facilitate
this voluntary professional partnership.
Benefits of the Candidacy Partnership
for the Program
A program in healthcare management which has been
admitted to the Candidacy Partnership program is committed to quality
enhancement and continuous improvement. The Program must focus on
attaining accredited status. The Candidate Program will benefit
from:
- CAHME Staff Consultation Visit and Advising
- CAHME Staff Procedural Consultation
- Multiple layers of review designed to make accreditation
a feasible objective within 5 years
- Ongoing support from CAHME that fosters continuous
improvement
- A process that minimizes non-productive or misdirected
efforts by the program
Benefits of the Candidacy Partnership for
CAHME
CAHME will benefit from the Candidacy Partnership
by expanding its knowledge and reference base for quality enhancement
and continuous improvement goals and practices. This base will provide
helpful illustrations for use in the training and workshops offered
to Programs, Accreditation Council members, and Site Visit Team
Members.
Candidacy Process
The Program will proceed through a series of six
stages during the Candidacy period leading up to the Initial Accreditation
Decision:
- Application
- Preparation and Consultation Phase 1
- Preparation and Consultation Phase 2
- Preparation and Consultation Phase 3
- Self Study Year
- Initial Accreditation Site Visit and Decision
Click
here for an overview of these stages
Considering Candidacy
Programs interested in CAHME accreditation
must submit an application to the President/CEO of CAHME. A Candidacy
period, not to exceed four years, will be used to conduct an initial
assessment of the program and to prepare the program to develop
an Accreditation Plan. During this time, the program should establish
benchmarks for every criterion and assess its current level of efforts
and processes for continuous improvement. The Candidacy period can
be adapted to apply to a program's stage of development. Programs
in the following stages of development may all participate as Candidates:
- The Program has admitted two classes but needs
to refine various aspects; (such a program must submit evidence
that it will have graduated two classes by the time of the site
visit or within two years of the application, whichever comes
first)
- The Program has been in existence for more than
two years
Candidacy Application
The Candidacy application summarizes
the ability of the Program to meet the accreditation criteria. The
program should be able to present its qualifications in twenty five
pages or less, not including appendices. The application will include:
- Declaration of Intent -A letter of intent to
apply for Candidacy signed by the Program Director and the Chief
Administrative Officer of the University or designated representative.
The letter should include an expression of the program’s
commitment and indication of institutional support to achieve
accreditation
- The Candidacy Application Fee (See Schedule
of Fees).
- Completed Eligibility Statement attesting
that the program has met the following requirements: (See Self-Study
Handbook)
- Specific documentation must be included for evaluation
by CAHME staff and the Candidacy Committee. The following is a
list of areas that must be addressed in the written application.
- Description of university setting, administrative structure,
organizational chart, and accreditation status
- Description of the organization of the Program and
its relationships with the primary academic unit in which
it is located.
- Program(s) and Degree(s) for which accreditation is sought;
- A statement of Program Mission with supporting goals and
measurable objectives
- Information on class size, admission process, and student
qualifications
- The organizational structure with assigned primary responsibility
for curriculum development, admission standards, faculty selection
and retention and fiscal planning;
- The program’s identified set of competencies
- Curriculum requirements, course sequence, and syllabi
- A curriculum plan, consonant with CAHME criteria, with a
timetable for implementation;
- Policies for recruitment and selection of faculty and students
- List of all full-time and affiliated program faculty including
qualifications
- List of scholarly activity by the faculty during last three
years
(The program should refer to the Self-Study
Handbook, which is available on www.cahme.org)
An application for Candidacy may be submitted at
any time. However, CAHME’s Board of Directors, which
makes the final determination, does so at its face to face meetings
in the Spring and the Fall. To expedite approval, applications
must be approved by the Candidacy Committee at least two months
prior to the Board meeting. Meeting dates may be obtained
from CAHME staff.
Resources
CAHME
Criteria for Accreditation Fall 2010 and beyond (revised 2009)
CAHME
Self Study Handbook Fall 2010 (for Self Study Years beginning Summer/Fall 2009)
CAHME
Handbook of Policies and Procedures (Article 10 Candidacy)
CAHME Fee Schedule
(Please note that all fees are subject to change according to
an annually approved Fee Schedule)
Denial or Removal of Candidacy
Candidacy will be denied if the Accreditation Plan
does not lead to a performance level that satisfies CAHME standards.
Candidacy can be removed for failure to demonstrate acceptable progress
toward the Accreditation Plan or for the misuse of candidacy status
(e.g., to imply accredited status). A Program denied or removed
from Candidacy shall be notified of the reasons within 30 days of
the action by the Candidacy Committee. The Program may request reconsideration.
The decision of the Candidacy Committee after reconsideration is
final.
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