Accreditation
Advancing the Quality of Healthcare Management Education
The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) serves the public interest by advancing the quality of graduate education that prepares leaders across the healthcare field.
CAHME accredits graduate programs in:
Healthcare Management | Healthcare Quality & Safety | Population Health
Through rigorous, competency-based standards and a commitment to continuous improvement, CAHME accreditation provides students, employers, universities, and the public with assurance that an accredited program meets established standards for quality.
Healthcare
Management
- Programs prepare graduates to lead and manage healthcare organizations, systems, services, and related organizations.
- Areas of focus may include healthcare administration, leadership, finance, operations, health policy, planning, and evaluation.
- Programs may offer degrees such as the MHA, MBA, MHSA, MPH, MS, and other graduate degrees.
Healthcare Quality & Safety
- Programs prepare graduates to lead efforts that improve the quality, safety, effectiveness, and reliability of healthcare.
- Areas of focus may include quality improvement, patient safety, performance improvement, healthcare outcomes, systems improvement, and organizational quality and reliability.
Population Health Management
- Programs prepare graduates to improve health outcomes across populations and communities through effective leadership, management, analysis, and improvement strategies.
- Areas of focus may include population health strategy, community health improvement, health outcomes, data-informed decision making, health equity, and population-based care and management.
Shared Standards. Flexible Approaches.
There is no single model for excellence in healthcare management education. CAHME-accredited programs vary in their missions, degree types, curricula, delivery formats, student populations, and educational approaches.
This flexibility allows each program to design an educational experience aligned with its mission and intended graduate outcomes while demonstrating a shared commitment to quality.
Across all program types, CAHME-accredited programs demonstrate a commitment to:
- Competency-based education that prepares graduates for professional practice
- Continuous quality improvement informed by evaluation and outcomes
- Curriculum aligned with the program’s mission and graduate needs
- Engagement with healthcare practice and the profession
- Qualified faculty and appropriate program resources
- Assessment of student learning and achievement
- Responsiveness to students, employers, and the evolving healthcare environment
CAHME focuses on educational quality and outcomes while providing programs the flexibility to determine how they meet established accreditation standards.
Why CAHME Accreditation Matters
Accreditation is more than a designation. It represents a program’s commitment to quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
CAHME-accredited programs undergo a rigorous review designed to evaluate whether the program provides an educational experience that prepares graduates for professional practice and leadership.
Students
CAHME accreditation provides assurance that a program has been evaluated against established standards for graduate healthcare management education.
Employers
Accreditation signals that graduates have completed education designed around relevant competencies and preparation for professional practice.
Programs & Universities
Accreditation provides an external, peer-reviewed framework for evaluating educational quality, demonstrating outcomes, and supporting continuous improvement.
Public
Accreditation promotes accountability and transparency in the preparation of professionals who will help lead and improve healthcare organizations and systems.
Explore CAHME
Find an Accredited Program
Pursue CAHME Accreditation
Learn about eligibility, candidacy, accreditation requirements, and the steps to becoming a CAHME-accredited program.
Accreditation Resources
Access CAHME Accreditation Standards, policies, annual reporting information, and resources for programs.