Health Care Administrator Resources
Education and Career Options for Health Care Administrators
Health care administrators combine the health-related skills necessary to work in a medical facility with the business savvy necessary to effectively run a business. From running small, private nursing homes to working in large hospitals with thousands of patients each week, health care administrators have a number of employment options once they have completed the necessary training.
The job requires a commitment to a lengthy educational process and an ability to work with people from all backgrounds. In exchange for a large skill set (and oftentimes long hours), the pay and prestige are high.
A Health Care Administrator's Job
Health care administrators work as a link between the health care staff of a facility and those responsible for the office side of things. They are responsible for ensuring legal compliance, overseeing budgetary concerns, adhering to company policies and procedures, utilizing proper billing protocol, and maintaining proper staffing, just to name a few of their tasks. The job requires incredible organizational skills as well as the ability to work in an effective supervisory role.
There are two types of health care administrators: generalists and specialists. Generalists are those who run entire facilities, while specialists typically have control of one facet of an organization (such as the finance department or human resources). Specialists can also concentrate on one type of health care entity, such as HMO facilities, nursing homes, or outpatient care organizations.
Working in a team capacity is an essential component of a health care administrator's job. Large facilities often have several administrators working together. Cooperation with physicians and board members is also a vital part of successfully navigating the business structure of hospitals and other medical facilities.
Administration Education Requirements
Prospective health care administrators must plan on getting a minimum of a Bachelor degree. Degree options include general business, health administration, or other related fields.
Job prospects increase considerably with a Master's degree or other higher-level program; however, getting into these high-demand programs can be difficult, so good grades and a strong commitment to the field are vital. Most students can expect at least six years of school: four in a Bachelor program and two in a Master's level program.
Scholarship options available through the Association of University Programs in Health Administration can be found at their website; information on Health Administration Education options is also available through the site.
Selecting a Health Care Administration Program
When choosing a school for health care administration, prospective students should turn to our list of Health Care Administration schools listed by State. Here you will find some of the top schools in this field and be able to fill out a form to speak with a representative from the school to answer questions and provide you with the forms to apply.
You may also want to check out the Commission on Accreditation of Health care Management Education. This entity accredits Master's degree programs in health services administration, ensuring that the programs comply with national standards of excellence. The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education does the same for Bachelor-level programs.
Job Prospects and Outlook
Advancement in the field is one of the greatest perks of being a health care administrator. Different health care facilities of different sizes all over the country offer room for growth and promotions. Entry-level positions often include working as part of team in larger hospitals or running a small private physician cooperative. As professionals gain more experience, they may become specialized or more qualified to run larger health care institutions.
Most health care administrators are not required to have a license or certification in order to operate in the role. However, some states may require licensing for work in nursing homes.
Due to the high level of education, training, and experience required to become a health care administrator, the rates of pay are substantial. Professionals in the field can expect to make between $60,000 and $125,000 per year. Of this salary range, the lowest occurs in home health care facilities and nursing homes, while the higher rates of pay are found in hospitals and surgery centers. The care specialization of a facility also has an impact on salary; for example, overseeing a family practice office nets about $60,000 per year, while work in an orthopedic office raises that rate by about $20,000.
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