AUM’s Healthcare Administration program earns prestigious national accreditation
Auburn University at Montgomery’s Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) program has earned initial accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), the leading accrediting organization for graduate healthcare management education programs.
The CAHME Board of Directors approved the accreditation for a four-year term, recognizing the quality, rigor and industry relevance of AUM’s Master of Healthcare Administration program. CAHME accreditation is considered the gold standard in healthcare management education and signifies that a program meets nationally recognized standards for preparing future healthcare leaders.
“CAHME accreditation reflects AUM’s unwavering commitment to quality and validates the strength of our Master of Healthcare Administration program,” said Mrinal Mugdh Varma, Ph.D., FACHE, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor at Auburn University at Montgomery. “Through strong academic preparation, industry engagement, and a focus on leadership development, we are helping to close critical talent gaps while preparing professionals who can strengthen healthcare organizations, improve patient outcomes, and lead meaningful change across the healthcare sector.”
Offered through AUM’s AACSB-accredited College of Business, the MHA program prepares students to lead and manage healthcare organizations through coursework focused on healthcare economics, policy, marketing, quality improvement, patient safety, leadership, and healthcare information systems. The program is available 100% online and is designed to meet the needs of working professionals while addressing the growing demand for healthcare administrators and leaders.
“CAHME accreditation affirms the quality, relevance and rigor of AUM’s Master of Healthcare Administration program,” said Dr. Michael McEachern, Department Chair of AUM’s Healthcare Administration Programs. “More than a recognition, this designation validates our commitment to excellence, accountability, and preparing healthcare leaders who are ready to serve organizations, communities, and patients in a complex and evolving healthcare environment.”
CAHME advances the quality of healthcare management education through a rigorous accreditation process and is the only organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit individual graduate programs in healthcare management.
“As an advisory board member since the inception of AUM’s Master of Healthcare Administration program, I have seen the program’s intentional commitment to excellence, relevance and leadership development,” said Chad Collins, Vice President of Operations for Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano and an AUM MHA program advisory board member. “CAHME accreditation validates the quality of the program and demonstrates that it meets nationally recognized standards for preparing future healthcare leaders.”
For alumni like Cody R. Traffanstedt, Director of Operations for Surgical Services at Baptist Health Care and an AUM MHA graduate, the accreditation reflects the impact the program has had on healthcare professionals throughout the region.
“Seeing AUM’s MHA program earn CAHME accreditation means a great deal to me,” Traffanstedt said. “The program gave me far more than a degree. It provided mentors, a strong foundation, and the skills that shaped me into the leader I am today. This recognition is a tribute to the faculty who invest so deeply in their students and to the graduates carrying that work forward across Alabama and beyond.”
AUM launched its Master of Healthcare Administration program to address the increasing demand for healthcare leaders capable of navigating complex healthcare systems. The program’s accreditation further strengthens the university’s position as a leading provider of graduate healthcare management education in Alabama and the Southeast.
For more information about Auburn University at Montgomery’s MBA program, visit https://online.aum.edu/programs/online-mha/.
