How To Become A Healthcare Administrator
A healthcare administrator manages the facility that you are working in. For example, if you work as a nursing home administrator, you will see to it that the day-to-day operations of the home run smoothly and that the patients are well taken care of. If you work as a clinical manager, your role is to ensure that the laws and policies of the department are being followed, that the personnel are doing their work well and budgets are prepared and observed. In a nutshell, you see to it that the quality of the services offered by the healthcare setting you are managing does not suffer.
An important part of your work is complying with regulations and policies about the healthcare industry. This includes seeing to it that the organization has all the necessary licenses and permits to operate. This also means that you need to be constantly updated about recent developments in the healthcare industry so that you can follow the new rules. Supervising the healthcare setting’s budget and ensuring that bills are being paid are also an integral part of your job. You may also be asked to make decisions about all other aspects of the organization’s finances and address issues about the staff or medical professional working in your facility.
To succeed as a healthcare administrator, you need to have excellent leadership skills since you will be steering an organization. You also need to have great interpersonal skills since you will be dealing with health professionals and other members of your staff. In addition, you also need to be abreast with the latest advancements in computer healthcare technology since electronic health record systems are already being commonly used in healthcare settings. Since all problems that your healthcare personnel cannot solve on their own are going to be placed in your hands, you also need to have excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills.
Why Become A Healthcare Administrator
One reason to become a healthcare administrator is that it gives you the chance to run a healthcare facility the way you want it to—provided that you follow existing federal and state guidelines, of course. It is also a well-paying and highly-respected position that is set to have a lot of employment opportunities in the next few years. If you have always wanted a career in management, this is one profession that will provide just that.
Healthcare Administrator Work Environment
Majority of healthcare administrators work in hospitals and ambulatory healthcare services facilities. They are also employed by nursing homes and residential care facilities. Some work in government agencies. Unlike other healthcare professionals, they don’t get as much time to interact personally with patients since their work is mostly administrative. The job is typically full-time and done during regular hours. However, in healthcare settings which are open for 24 hours or during emergencies, they may be asked to work during weekends or at night.
Healthcare Administrator Salary
The Occupational Employment and Wages report of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the mean annual wage of medical and health services managers, a category which includes healthcare administrators, is $101,340. This is higher than the average mean annual wage of $92,180 paid to all other management occupations.
Healthcare Administrator Career Outlook
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that the job outlook of medical and health services managers is very positive in the next few years. In the ten-year period covering 2012 to 2022, the employment rate is set to grow 23 percent, a rate that is much faster than the national average. The demand will be fueled by the growth of the number of retirees who continue to remain active in retirement and thus require the need for more medical services.
Healthcare Administrator Degree
The entry point for this degree is a bachelor’s degree in health administration. However, it is not uncommon for many in this profession to have master’s degrees in public health, health services, business administration (MBA) and related fields. Some managers also choose to voluntarily obtain certification to attest to their professionalism and capacity to perform the job. This also enhances their employment prospects.
