The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Health Professions’ Department of Health Services Administration is the first winner of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration established program of the year honor.

UAB HSA was chosen by AUPHA, the only nonprofit of its kind working to improve health care delivery by educating professional managers because of their commitment to AUPHA’s goals and their achievements in meeting those goals. The award, open to programs that have been AUPHA members for more than 10 years, recognizes UAB HSA’s commitment to the AUPHA vision to develop leaders who possess the values and competencies necessary to drive improvement throughout the health system.

“Our faculty spend a great deal of time working to improve health care by teaching, conducting research and leading issues-driven seminars and through service leadership in organizations like AUPHA aimed at improving health management education,” said Christy Harris Lemak, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Health Services Administration. “This award not only is an important recognition of our department’s work, but also sends a strong message of the need for true industrywide collaboration that goes beyond the classroom to impact the future of health care.”

The UAB Department of Health Services Administration, whose mission is developing leaders to shape tomorrow’s health care, has educated future health industry innovators for more than 50 years, including at the doctoral level for the past 40 years.

“This recognition is particularly significant because it comes from the AUPHA, which represents more than 400 colleges and universities around the world,” said School of Health Professions Dean Harold P. Jones, Ph.D. “It speaks volumes to the distinction of our faculty, who bring excellence into their research, merit into their leadership roles and expertise into their classrooms.”