When you enter a medical facility, your interactions likely involve a receptionist, nurse, doctor, and a specialist. However, behind the scenes, a healthcare administrator ensures the seamless operation of the facility.

Exploring Health Care Administration in 2023

Health care administration, at the intersection of business and medicine, allows you to apply leadership and organizational skills to impact people's lives significantly. Let's delve into what healthcare administrators do, the reasons to consider a career, and how to embark on this rewarding journey.

Understanding the Role of Health Care Administrators

A health care administrator, also known as a medical or health services manager, oversees the operations of health care providers, be it in a doctor's office, hospital, senior care facility, or outpatient clinic.

Diverse Workplaces for Health Care Administrators

Contrary to common belief, healthcare administrators are allowed to hospitals. Opportunities exist in pharmaceutical companies, behavioral health clinics, governmental organizations, health insurance providers, nonprofits, or consulting firms.

Tasks and Responsibilities

While specific tasks vary based on organization size and function, healthcare administrators share similarities with other leadership roles. Daily responsibilities may include:

• Ensuring compliance with health care laws and regulations
• Managing finances
• Recruiting, training, and supervising staff
• Maintaining detailed records of medical and office supplies
• Coordinating work schedules for care providers and other employees
• Managing patient medical records
• Processing insurance claims
• Improving the quality and efficiency of patient care

Essential Skills for Health Care Administration

Successful healthcare administrators use business skills and healthcare policy knowledge to make a significant impact. Universal skills such as empathy, communication, organization, leadership, and critical thinking are crucial. Additionally, mastering skills like budgeting, patient care best practices, health law and policy, and software proficiency is essential.

The Appeal of a Career in Health Care Administration

Working as a health care administrator empowers you to change lives by ensuring the best patient experience. Unlike doctors or nurses who see a limited number of patients daily, you can positively impact hundreds or thousands of people without a medical degree as a healthcare administrator.

Salary and Job Growth in Health Care Administration

The global healthcare market is poised to grow by nearly nine percent annually by 2022, making healthcare administration a well-paying and rewarding career. The median annual salary for healthcare administrators in the US in 2021 was $101,340.

Charting Your Path in Health Care Administration

Education Requirements

While most healthcare administrators enter the workforce with at least a bachelor's degree, the specific educational requirements vary. Here's an overview of different types of healthcare administration degrees:

Associate's Degree

• Time to complete: Two years
• Best if: Seeking an entry-level position or transferring to a bachelor's program
• Sample job titles: Billing or coding specialist, administrative assistant, medical transcriptionist

Bachelor's Degree

• Time to complete: Four years
• Best if: Entering the workforce in a management position at a smaller facility
• Sample job titles: Office manager, human resources manager, health care consultant

Master's Degree

• Time to complete: Two to three years
• Best if: Having work experience and aiming for a higher-paying position or a larger facility
• Sample job titles: Hospital administrator, practice administrator, clinical director

Doctoral Degree

• Time to complete: Three to five years
• Best if: Interested in research, directing policy, or pursuing a career in executive leadership
• Sample job titles: College instructor, policy director, hospital CEO

Online vs. In-person Degrees

Whether pursuing an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, the choice between online and in-person studies has its pros and cons. In-person studies offer a sense of community and access to campus facilities, while online studies enable you to gain work experience and earn a degree without relocating.

Navigating the Health Care Administration Curriculum

While coursework specifics vary, typical classes cover:

• Health systems
• Financial management
• Health care planning
• Health law and policy
• Compliance and risk management
• Digital transformation
• Ethics
• Global Health
• Leadership

Evaluating the Worth of a Health Care Administration Degree

While a health care administration degree broadens career options, it requires a significant time and financial commitment. Consider your career goals and lifestyle when choosing the right degree path. If you already work in the field, explore employer education reimbursement benefits to ease the financial burden.

Exploring Alternatives to a Health Care Administration Degree

If the healthcare industry intrigues you, several alternative fields might align with your interests:

• Public health
• Health Sciences
• Health informatics
• Nursing
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) in health care administration

Licensing and Certification in Health Care Administration

Licensing and certification are generally not widespread in health care administration, except for roles impacting the aging population in nursing homes. State-level licensing involves completing a state-approved training program and passing a national exam.

In conclusion, health care administration opens doors to a fulfilling career. Choose your educational path wisely, considering your goals and lifestyle, and explore the diverse opportunities in this dynamic field.

FAQ’s

Q1: What does a healthcare administrator do?

A: A health care administrator oversees the operations of health care providers, ensuring smooth coordination in various settings such as hospitals, clinics, and senior care facilities.

Q2: Where do healthcare administrators work?

A: Healthcare administrators can work in diverse settings, including hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, behavioral health clinics, governmental organizations, health insurance providers, nonprofits, or consulting firms.

Q3: What are the tasks and responsibilities of a healthcare administrator?

A: Daily responsibilities may include ensuring compliance with health care laws, managing finances, recruiting and supervising staff, maintaining records, coordinating work schedules, processing insurance claims, and improving patient care quality and efficiency.

Q4: What are the essential skills for health care administration?

A: Successful healthcare administrators need skills such as empathy, communication, organization, leadership, critical thinking, budgeting, understanding patient care best practices, and proficiency in health law, policy, and software.

Q5: Why pursue a career in health care administration?

A: Healthcare administrators have the power to positively impact the lives of hundreds or thousands of people, contributing to the best possible patient experience without requiring a medical degree.