The Business of Health

Empowering academics, executives, innovators, and investors to drive health impact 

Health is one of the most in-demand and fastest-growing sectors of the U.S. economy. It represents 20% of the U.S. GDP and has a projected industry growth rate of 9% over the next decade. The workforce that will power the future of health extends far beyond the physicians, therapists, and practitioners who deliver care. The broader business of health requires a diversity of business expertise that includes tech innovators, medical logistics, health systems administrators, wellness companies, and new systems of care. 

As a top-tier university and a dedicated member of the St. Louis community, Olin is making a significant commitment to being the premier institution for the business of health and an engine for innovation at WashU. The business of health initiative exists to engage and empower business leaders poised to improve the well-being of individuals and societies through  health products, services, and community partnerships. Olin is focused on driving their success in positively impacting healthcare through our curriculum, connected community, and collaboration with health innovators.  

Why a focus on health?

Olin is well-positioned to drive the business of health. Situated in a rich institutional context, Olin partners with WashU Schools of Medicine and Public Health to share ideas, collaborate on inquiry, and educate students. St. Louis also offers a wide field of firms engaged in every aspect of health, ranging from biotech startups to leading health systems.  

The business school is already making an impact in health-related areas. Alumni are combining their medical training with business savvy to find innovative solutions to problems. Faculty members are collaborating with other WashU schools to research subjects that help people live better lives. Students are individualizing their Olin learning experience to create the next chapter in the business of health.  

Leading the business of health forward

Dr. Patrick Aguilar, a physician and Olin MBA, leads the school’s health initiative. His charge is to elevate Olin’s involvement in health-related activities, including academic research, degree and non-degree educational offerings, and community partnerships. Dr. Aguilar is also a professor of practice in organizational behavior and a practicing pulmonologist at WashU Medicine. 

This is a great opportunity for Olin to leverage what it’s good at and improve things in an industry that sorely needs improvement.

—Patrick Aguilar, Managing Director, Olin Health Initiative

Health education degree programs

Education is a key component of Olin’s health initiative. We offer several degrees that allow students to explore their interests and prepare them to make an impact in the business of health. 

• MBA with a concentration in health 

• MBA with a joint MD degree from WashU Medicine 

• MBA with a joint MPH from WashU Public Health 

• MS in Healthcare Analytics 

• BSBA in Healthcare Management 

Learn more about health-focused degrees.

Excellence in research: transforming business and healthcare

Academic research fuels innovation and discovery, leading to advancements in medicine, technology, and our understanding of the world. Olin faculty bring a unique lens to their research, collaborating across disciplines, with other WashU schools, with industry practitioners, and with governmental partners. Olin faculty have explored health-related areas such as infectious disease, mortality, and pharmaceutical distribution.  

What makes a university great — and certainly what is a strength of Olin — is high-caliber research. Olin is already doing a variety of work in health. We can capitalize on our unique ability to connect academic concepts to pragmatic solutions for breakthroughs ranging from commercialization to policy improvements.

—Barton Hamilton, Robert Brookings Smith Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship

Research opportunities with Olin faculty

• Accounting and finance 
• Economics 
• Marketing 
• Organizational behavior 
• Strategy and entrepreneurship 
• Supply chain, operations and technology 

Recent research by Olin faculty

Jon Bogard, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior
“A 680,000-person mega-study of nudges to encourage vaccination in pharmacies.”
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science

Seth Carnahan, Associate Professor of Strategy
“Patient-physician gender concordance and increased mortality among female heart attack patients”
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Barton Hamilton, PhD, Robert Brookings Smith Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship
“Health, Risky Behaviour and the Value of Medical Innovation for Infectious Disease”
Review of Economic Studies

Panos Kouvelis, Emerson Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain, Operations, and Technology
“Drug Pricing for Competing Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Distributing through a Common PBM”
Production and Operations Management

Sydney Scott, Assistant Professor of Marketing
“‘Good people don’t need medication:’ How moral character beliefs affect medical decision making.”
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 

Executive education and the future of leadership

An important part of Olin’s health initiative is developing targeted educational offerings for individuals and organizations. Our executive education programs provide cutting-edge learning experiences focused on the most pressing issues and trends impacting businesses and healthcare, equipping leaders with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate a complex and evolving world.