Profile
Dr. Hensel, PhD, MSPH, has almost 15 years of experience as a health care executive, including responsibility for a range of post-acute, long-term, and end-of-life care services within vertically integrated, hospital-based health systems. He began his career in health administration after completing his master's in the HMI (back then, HSM) program in 1987. In 2001, he returned to Missouri to complete a doctorate degree focused in health communication from the Missouri School of Journalism (2005), followed by a National Library of Medicine Postdoctoral Fellowship in Health Informatics (2005-08).
Dr. Hensel then accepted a Health and Aging Policy/American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship in the office of U.S. Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia (2008-09). In this position, he helped develop palliative care and advance planning legislation within the Accountable Care Act and health information technology legislation within the Recovery Act. After this, he served for four years as assistant professor of Health Services Administration in the Beacom School of Business at the University of South Dakota.
Dr. Hensel returned to HMI in January 2014. He is focused on teaching and supporting grant and consulting projects. The courses he teaches include Strategic Planning & Marketing and Decision Making for Health Care Organizations. His research and consulting interests include the application of health informatics and media in improving health, chronic disease management, and long-term and palliative care.