Addressing the Leadership Gap in Rural Healthcare
| dc.contributor.author | McAllister, Jarren | |
| dc.contributor.department | Healthcare Administration | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-05-15T13:08:00Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-05-15T13:08:00Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-12 | |
| dc.description | Fall 2025 Graduate Project/Thesis/Capstone in Healthcare Administration. Student ID redacted. | |
| dc.description.abstract | This capstone project addresses the critical leadership challenges prevalent in rural healthcare settings, specifically focusing on a community health clinic in rural Montana grappling with persistent staff shortages and inadequate leadership development opportunities. The dearth of essential leadership skills among the clinic's staff has led to a discernible decrease in patient satisfaction and a concerning decline in overall health outcomes within the community. This project seeks to identify and evaluate targeted strategies designed to enhance leadership capacity within the organization. The research methodology involves a comprehensive analysis of current leadership practices, an in-depth examination of the organizational culture, and a thorough consideration of external factors such as evolving healthcare policies and funding models. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study will quantitatively assess leadership retention rates and program participation metrics to gauge the effectiveness of current initiatives. This quantitative data will be complemented by qualitative insights gathered through interviews and focus groups, aimed at understanding the perceived value of mentorship programs and community engagement activities in fostering leadership development. The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a practical and adaptable framework that rural healthcare organizations can utilize to improve leadership development initiatives, strengthen succession planning processes, and ensure the provision of sustainable, high-quality healthcare services in underserved communities. The central hypothesis of this research posits that healthcare facilities that implement mentorship-focused leadership development programs will experience a significant increase in leadership retention rates. While acknowledging potential challenges such as uncontrollable external factors and the resource-intensive nature of leadership development programs, this project aims to provide actionable insights and evidence-based recommendations for building resilient leadership pipelines in rural healthcare, ultimately contributing to improved healthcare delivery and community well-being. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Dr. Cheryl Holden, Executive Director, Associate Professor MHCA 6104: Graduate Project in Healthcare Administration-Faculty Dr. Jim Dockins | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14393/948 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.rights | A copyright review process in May 2026 has determined that this item is in copyright, held by the author, Jarren McAllister. The written permission of the copyright holder is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions rests with person(s) desiring to use the item. http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/ | |
| dc.subject | Rural health services--Administration; Rural health services--Montana; Clinics--Employees; Medical personnel--In-service training; Medical personnel--Supply and demand--United States | |
| dc.title | Addressing the Leadership Gap in Rural Healthcare | |
| dc.type | Thesis |