Institutions focusing on higher learning in health care are turning to distance education as an opportunity to increase enrollments and deliver high-tech education to students. This viable solution is being used to address the need to stay abreast of the many technological changes in health care delivery and the increasing demand for more health care professionals. As institutions change the way they offer education, they must also change the way they offer student support services. Students enrolled in a distance education program at a public health-sciences research university were surveyed to determine their administrative support needs. Identifying if support services meet the student's needs and if additions or improvements in services are needed is essential to student satisfaction and future accreditation.

The rush to transition education from the traditional face-to-face to an online or hybrid environment increases each year. Universities realize online education is crucial to the future survival and expansion of their educational programs. Herein we discuss the infrastructure support that is vital to the foundation of a durable online program. The essentials include faculty training and mentoring, a campus network, secure access, data storage, fast and efficient IT support, and the appropriate type of technology for teaching. A crucial element is administrative support in the form of funding, guidance, oversight, and the removal of obstacles to the development of an online program. Faculty were surveyed to identify: a) perceptions of what elements are important to the development of a successful online program; b) which of those elements were in use at their institution; c) factors that enhance faculty participation in an online program, and the factors which impede their contribution. A Matrix is introduced that administrative decision- makers can use to develop an online teaching program or enhance an existing program.