Janey S. Briscoe Endowed Chair in the Business of Health: Dana Forgione is seasoned educator, researcher

Dana Forgione
(Photo by Mark McClendon)

By Lynn Gosnell
Special Projects Writer

(Nov. 13, 2009)--Professor Dana Forgione, who holds the Janey S. Briscoe Endowed Chair in the Business of Health, is a seasoned educator and researcher who brings a global perspective to issues in health-care administration and financial accounting. He joined the Department of Accounting in the College of Business in 2006.

Health care is at the epicenter of policy debate in the United States, and Forgione is helping to prepare students to enter the financial and management side of this critical field.

"Every country, regardless of their social or economic system, has the same problem in health care," he said. "We have unlimited and escalating demand as our population ages and limited and shrinking resources as the ratio of workers to resources keeps dropping."

Since coming to UTSA, Forgione has developed and strengthened the M.B.A. program's concentration in the business of health. This four-course specialization area prepares students to enter or advance within health-care organizations. In addition to leading this program, Forgione teaches a seminar in Medicare regulation, a class he describes as "a very hands-on, applied" course. This College of Business program is the only business program in the UT System focused on the business of health.

The Janey S. Briscoe endowed chair funds provide the means for Forgione to attend and present at conferences around the world on health-care management and accounting, while also supporting his research, publication and teaching efforts.

Former Gov. Dolph Briscoe and his family established the endowed chair in memory of his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, who died in 2000. Janey Briscoe served on the University of Texas System Board of Regents from 1981 to 1987. A strong supporter of health-care initiatives in Texas, Dolph Briscoe also established the Janey Briscoe Center of Excellence in Cardiovascular Research at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA).

"The endowment has been tremendous," Forgione said. "It's enabled me to have an assistant and to put out this journal, Research in Health Care Financial Management." Forgione noted that the latest issue of the journal he founded 15 years ago is the last issue and that he will be "out of the editor business" for a while.

Forgione teaches a doctoral research seminar on governmental and nonprofit research and an elective course on accounting for health-care organizations. He works with both the UTHSCSA and the University of Texas School of Public Health (San Antonio Regional Campus) to develop several new dual degree programs including M.P.H.-M.B.A. and M.D.-M.B.A. degrees.

"We're very excited about this," said Forgione, whose classes tend to draw health-care professionals as well as traditional students. "I've had a pediatrician, a hospital CFO, an HMO-contract analyst, business people with interest in moving into health care, and clinical people with interest in learning business management -- just a wide spectrum of outstanding students."

Events

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholars' Spring Celebration

This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main Campus

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.

Doctoral Conferral Ceremony

At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.

Arts Building Recital Hall, Main Campus

Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m.

Roadrunner Walk

Roadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Friday, May 17, 4:30 p.m.

Commencement: Ceremony Two

Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Submit an Event

Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.