Think you might be interested in pursuing a career as a healthcare administrator? It is a gratifying career and offers a wide range of opportunities for anyone interested in working in the field of healthcare. This article will provide answers to questions that may be on your mind as you consider this career path.
What is Healthcare Administration?
Healthcare administration, also known as health or medical administration, is a field involving people who make decisions on how to run the business side of healthcare. These are the people in charge of or involved in planning, directing, and coordinating business activities for healthcare providers or organizations.
Common Career Opportunities Include
- Hospital C-Level Executives (CEO, CFO, CIO)
- Chief Nursing Officer
- Hospital Administrator
- Clinical Informatics Manager
- Lab Testing Coordinator
- Clinic Administrator
- Government Agency Healthcare Administrator
What does a typical day in the life of a healthcare administrator look like?
The day-to-day of a healthcare administrator varies depending on their role and the organization they work for. From a very broad view, they spend most of their days in meetings, managing the administrative aspects of their organization, and planning for the future.
Some common detailed responsibilities include:
- Planning and directing the activities of a healthcare facility, department, or program.
- Working closely with other executives and staff to accomplish departmental or organizational goals
- Communicating with staff members about their jobs.
- Developing budgets and financial reports to monitor costs.
- Overseeing patient care services like lab testing and radiology
- Overseeing staff recruitment and training.
- Keeping up-to-date on industry trends in order to make informed decisions about future plans.
What is the average salary for a Healthcare Administrator?
There is a wide range for the average salary as a healthcare administrator. There are many factors that play a role in where you land within that range.
The most common factors that dictate a healthcare administrator's salary are:
Education Level- In general, the higher level of education you have in an applicable degree, the more likely you are to land on the higher end of the salary range.
Organization Size- The expected salary for a small, rural clinic will be very different than that of a C-Level Executive for one of the most well-known hospitals in the country. As a general rule of thumb, the large the organization, the higher salary for its administrators.
Experience Level- Like in most positions, those with more experience, on average, have a larger salary than those with less experience.
Your Position- Each position has its own average salary, with C-level executives at the highest end of the range.
What is the Salary Range?
As already stated, the average salary of a healthcare administrator depends on various factors, but the range is anywhere from $50K to $200K. If that sounds like a good range to you, then keep reading to find out how you can become a healthcare administrator.
What skills should a healthcare administrator have in order to be successful?
The two skills that a healthcare administrator will need to call on daily are communication and management skills.
Communication SkillsA healthcare administrator should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral. This means that you should be able to effectively communicate information in a manner that is easy for others to understand. You need to be able to explain complex ideas in simple terms so that they can easily grasp them.
Management SkillsIn addition to communication skills, a healthcare administrator should have excellent management skills. This means that you should be able to effectively organize and direct people toward a common goal. You should also be able to plan and organize projects, as well as delegate tasks appropriately. A healthcare administrator should be able to effectively manage time so that important deadlines are met, and projects are completed on time.
What skills and qualifications do you need to become a healthcare administrator?
To be successful in this field and to maximize your options, you will need a graduate-level degree to enter this field. Each position has different requirements. For instance, it is very common for a clinic to require a Health Clinic Administrator candidate to have an RN license, while a CEO position typically requires an MBA.
From an educational requirement, a graduate-level degree is the finish line, but where should you start?
Where do I begin if I want to become a Healthcare Administrator?
The first major milestone is getting your bachelor's degree. You can technically major in any subject for your undergraduate degree, but to increase your chances of becoming a healthcare administrator, you should start with a program that is focused on your end goal. A great example of this would be a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration.
This program is designed to prepare you for success by helping you develop and guide high-performance teams in a variety of healthcare environments. You will learn how hospitals can plan and manage health services in order to improve the care that their patients receive.