Healthcare Systems Mastery — How healthcare really works, end to end

Who it's for

For the people who keep healthcare running, and want a seat at the table.

Nurses, therapists, pharmacists, techs, coordinators, schedulers, new charge nurses and first-time managers, usually 1 to 7 years in. You don't need a master's degree or a finance background. You need curiosity and 25 minutes a day.

Speak the language

DRGs, denials, CoPs, HCAHPS, FTEs, variance, value-based care. Every term explained in plain English with an example from a real unit.

See the whole board

Understand why decisions get made upstairs, so you can influence them instead of being surprised by them.

Apply it Friday

Every week ends with a one-hour exercise on your own unit. By Week 15 you've built a capstone your director will want to read.

Curriculum

Sixteen weeks, one connected story.

Each module builds on the last. We follow one patient through the system, and one dollar through the finances, from Week 1 to the capstone.

WEEK 1The system on one page

WEEK 2Payers and reimbursement

WEEK 3Finance for non-finance leaders

WEEK 4Revenue cycle end to end

WEEK 5Quality and patient safety

WEEK 6Regulation and compliance

WEEK 7Operations and patient flow

WEEK 8Workforce and HR

WEEK 9Health IT, data and AI

WEEK 10Population health

WEEK 11The care continuum

WEEK 12Strategy and governance

WEEK 13Ethics and professionalism

WEEK 14Leading from the middle

WEEK 15Capstone: your patient journey

WEEK 16Final test and next steps

How it works

What one HSM day looks like.

A lesson lands in your inbox at 6:30 am ET every weekday. Open it on your phone before shift, on a break, or at home.

2 lectures

Two short lectures (about 4 minutes each) with a hook, one core idea, a real example, and "what this means for you on your unit."

1 read

A curated piece from CMS, AHRQ, KFF or a respected journal, with one line on why it matters.

3 questions

A quick knowledge check with instant feedback and the reasoning behind each answer.

1 reflection

One question to connect the idea to your own work. Your answers are saved in your course page.

Fridays

A one-hour "apply it at work" exercise: map your unit, read a real variance, trace a denied claim, run a mini root-cause analysis.

Finish with the Week 15 capstone (patient journey, dollar flow, root cause, improvement plan) and a 50-question final test (70% to pass). Successful learners receive a certificate of completion for 40 contact hours.

Pricing

Choose your seat.

Founding cohort

Individual

$549~~$695~~

All 80 daily lessons, 16 Friday exercises
Capstone with scoring rubric
Final test + certificate of completion
Pay in full or 4 monthly payments
Founding price through Jan 17, 2027

Enroll — $549

For organizations

Employer seats

$525 / seat

10-seat pack = $5,250
Any quantity, one invoice
Progress and completion report per learner
Capstones on real unit problems
W-9 and invoicing on request

Buy team seats

Need help?

Employer-funded or hardship

Let's talk

Reimbursement packet with a ready-to-send request memo
A limited number of hardship seats at $199
No one is turned away for a reason we can solve together

Get the packet

Hardship seat: email walter@thedutchmentor.com

Your guide

Walter Dusseldorp, MBA, FACHE, LSSBB

Walter has spent his career inside hospitals and health systems, from the front line to the executive suite, and now coaches emerging healthcare leaders through The Dutch Mentor. He brings the discipline of aviation crew resource management to healthcare leadership: clear checklists, honest debriefs, and one skill at a time until it sticks.

Most people learn how the system works by accident, over a decade. HSM is the map he wishes he'd had in his first leadership role.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

How much time does it take?

About 25–30 minutes each weekday, plus one hour on Fridays for the applied exercise. Lessons stay available on your course page, so you can catch up on weekends.

Do I need a finance or business background?

No. HSM is written for bachelor-prepared clinicians and staff. Every term is defined the first time it appears, with an example from a real unit.

What do I get at the end?

Learners who complete the lessons, submit the capstone and pass the final test (70%) receive a certificate of completion for 40 contact hours. Many learners use the capstone in their annual review or a promotion conversation.

Can my employer pay?

Yes. Download the employer reimbursement packet; it includes the outline, outcomes and a request memo you can hand to your manager. Organizations can buy seats directly at $525 per seat.

What if I fall behind?

Everything unlocked so far stays on your course page. The pace is designed for real shift schedules, and Friday is a natural catch-up point.

What if my plans change?

Email Walter at walter@thedutchmentor.com before the cohort starts and he'll work it out with you, including moving you to a later cohort.

Is this connected to ACHE or FACHE?

HSM is independent. Maps to ACHE BOG domains; Fellows may self-report hours. ACHE has not reviewed, approved, or endorsed this program.

Free · 5 days · 5 minutes a day

Follow the Dollar: a free mini-course

Not ready to enroll? Get five short emails that show how money really moves through healthcare: charge to claim to payment, who pays, the three lines of a P&L, why denials happen, and value-based payment. You'll also get first notice of founding seats.