COPH Alumna Awarded for Doctoral Research

Courtney Haun, 2016 graduate of the Master of Public Health program in Public Health Administration, has received the award for Best Doctoral Student Paper in Track for the Health Care/Hospitality Management/Public Administration Track by the Southern Management Association.  She has also been named a Patient Experience Scholar for 2017 by the Beryl Institute. 

Her paper, “A Pilot Study Examining the Influence of Proximity to Nurse Staffing Resources on Quality of Care Outcomes,” is co-authored with fellow student Zachary Mahafza and Geoffrey Silvera, assistant professor of health administration. Haun and her co-authors were recognized recently at the Southern Management Association Awards ceremony in St. Pete Beach, Florida, during its annual conference.

"One of the great pleasures of working in academia is witnessing the success of our alumni,” said Dr. Randy Wykoff, Dean of the East Tennessee State University College of Public Health.  I congratulate Courtney and her co-authors on this important recognition."

Southern Management Association membership consists of over 1100 management professors, doctoral students, and executives representing more than 350 colleges, universities, and business firms in 48 states and several foreign countries.

The Beryl Institute is a global community of practice dedicated to improving the patient experience through collaboration and shared knowledge. It defines patient experience as the sum of all interactions, shaped by an organization's culture, that influence patient perceptions across the continuum of care.

Identified, recognized and supported by The Beryl Institute, Patient Experience Scholars are scholar-practitioners at the forefront of expanding the body of research on the patient, resident and/or family experience and represent a community of thought leaders committed to exploring ideas and practices that will lead to positive healthcare outcomes.

Courtney is currently a PhD student in Public Administration and Public Policy at Auburn University.