Healthcare Administration
Beyond doctors, physicians and nurses, there are many other health care workers who must ensure the smooth operation and performance of a multitude of health care settings. Especially with the growth in the health care industry, there is an increase in the need for qualified individuals who could help maintain and manage different aspects and departments of health care institutions.
Healthcare administrators may act as managers within the health care setting and plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of health care as well as perform a variety of other tasks. They track trends and keep up with advancement in technology in order to keep their organization on the cutting edge. Many administrators may work as specialists in a particular field or department, while others oversee the entire facility. Broadly speaking, their duties may include establishing policies and procedures and ensuring the policies are abided by, handling financial decisions, carrying out day-to-day operations, evaluate and hire personnel, and coordinate activities that go on in the clinic.
In order to pursue a career in health care administration, students will typically need to obtain a bachelor’s degree in a related field. With a bachelor’s degree in health care administration, students have the opportunity to work in entry-level positions typically overseeing smaller numbers of personnel. For those who would like to get into management or leadership positions within different health care entities, they would need to get a master’s degree or equivalent level of experience.
Typically, health care administrators must take courses that will teach them various aspects of the health care business. These courses may include human anatomy, physiology, business communication and writing, organizational behavior, health care finance, health care economics, health care ethics, health care law, human resource management, managed care in health delivery, medical terminology, medical billing and coding, medical insurance coding, and computer fundamentals. In addition to skills learned in the classroom, students should also have a passion for their work and for helping others. They should be able to work in a demanding environment and understand the principles of leadership.
Many students find that the fastest way for them to move forward in their career is to attend an online university or college. There are several online programs that are accelerated, allowing students to enter this fast-growing market sooner than ever. Moreover, online programs are flexible, making it possible for students who have busy schedules to earn a degree in no time.
There are several career options for students with a degree in healthcare administration. Often, they are management or leadership positions within the institution. They could earn titles as hospital administrator, department director, division director, health care coordinator, lab technician, respiratory care clinician, health care manager, health services manager, or company president.
Depending on the level of experience, education, and length of employment time at a health care entity, health care administrators’ salaries could drastically vary. Client representatives could have starting salaries of $38,010 annually, whereas health care administrators in pharmacy clinics could earn as much as $113,200 per year.
Top Healthcare Administration Universities
Kaplan University – Master’s Degree. As an accredited university, Kaplan University focuses on making a difference in the health care industry by creating the most effective and qualified managers to lead in several health care institutions. They are provided with rigorous training in order to be able to make strategic business decisions and develop critical skills required to succeed in the health industry.
University of Phoenix – Bachelor’s Degree. University of Phoenix prepares individuals with the skills and knowledge to lead in the dynamic health care industry. Their career-focused curriculum will teach students all they need to know to succeed in a career in health care administration.
South University – Bachelor’s Degree. South University prepares health care administrators with the skills to handle economic, legal, regulatory, political, historical, and social demands in their managerial duties. They will have a deep understanding of systems that comprise the healthcare industry, impacts of various dynamics, and the managerial skills needed to operate their facility or department smoothly.
Ashford University – Master’s Degree. With flexible health care administration program offerings, Ashford University provides students with the opportunity to advance and excel in a high-demanding career field. Students at Ashford University will build a solid foundation for career mobility among health care professionals.
