2023 NAHSE Case Competition Helps MHA Students Build Confidence, Health Care Cybersecurity Knowledge

For Saint Louis University (SLU) Master of Health Administration (MHA) students, the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) Everett V. Fox Student Case Analysis and Presentation Competition is an exciting opportunity to engage with health administration students and industry professionals from around the country every year. 

The NAHSE case competition empowers students of color to propose innovative solutions to topical issues in the health care sector, build community, and practice professional development and public speaking.

This year, the SLU team consisted of second-year MHA students Vaishali Lingutla, Catlin Crowley Clemmons and Erika Collins, alongside first-year student observer, Billy Quick, and overseen by faculty advisor Kimberly Enard, Ph.D. The team ranked as a top-10 semi-finalist out of 31 total student teams during the annual competition held on Oct. 11-13 in Atlanta.

This year’s case asked students to address a situation in which a physician had lost an unencrypted flash drive containing patient health information and make recommendations for how to prevent future incidents of digitally compromised private health information.

Known for its fast-paced nature, NAHSE gave students only a month to prepare an executive summary of their proposal and presentation materials. This year’s SLU team developed their proposal by researching cybersecurity trends within health care organizations and talking to local experts and industry professionals to gather feedback and recommendations. 

Participating students emphasized the importance of teamwork in crafting their recommendation, even including it in the solution itself by proposing a collaborative, systems-level approach to cybersecurity inside health-care organizations to preserve the integrity of health care systems increasingly dependent on technology.

Even greater than developing the proposal itself, students are posed with the challenge of developing their public speaking and networking skills. The competition required the team to present in front of a panel of judges and field a Q&A portion about their proposal. Social and professional development events are also offered including gala, a visit to a local history museum and speaker panels that encourage NAHSE conference attendees to build a community within the organization.

“I got involved because I wanted to feel confidence in myself when in front of leaders and when presenting as well as be a part of a life-long community that builds connections vital to my career,” Crowley said.

To learn more about the team’s experience, listen to the Public Health: Unscripted Podcast.

Episode 12: Kimberly Enard, Ph.D., and MHA student Erika Collins

SLU faculty member Kimberly Enard, Ph.D. and second-year MHA student Erika Collins join the Public Health: Unscripted podcast to discuss their experience at the 2023 National Association for Health Services Executives Case Competition, where 31 student teams competed in presenting a solution to a topical health management challenge, network with students and professionals around the nation, and gain invaluable professional development skills.

College for Public Health and Social Justice

The Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice is the only academic unit of its kind, studying social, environmental and physical influences that together determine the health and well-being of people and communities. It also is the only accredited school or college of public health among nearly 250 Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States. Guided by a mission of social justice and focus on finding innovative and collaborative solutions for complex health problems, the college offers nationally recognized programs in public health and health administration.