Health Care Administration in the United States
Health care administration is one field in business that continues to thrive which has a combination of business management and genuine caring for people. Healthcare administrators, also known as healthcare executives or medical and health services managers are in charge of managing, making plans, and in the supervision in providing quality healthcare. These personnel working in health care administration are either experts in command of a clinical department or generalists managing an entire organization.
Rapid changes are happening recently in the organization as well as the financial aspect of the healthcare industry. Integration in health care administration, improvements in technology, a more multifaceted environment, reorganization and an escalating emphasis on preventive care is anticipated, so future healthcare administrators must come prepared to face all these challenges. The biggest challenge healthcare executives would be to upgrade the quality of care and productivity in health care facilities.
Organizational Structure of Health Care Administration
In big facilities, there are quite a lot of assistant administrators helping the health care administration managers with day-to-day operations. In smaller facilities, the top administrators handle the day-to day procedures and at the same time provide resident care.
Clinical managers are given adequate training or expertise in a particular clinical area and have bigger responsibilities than the generalists do. For instance, the director of a physical therapy department is a licensed physical therapist. Majority of health information and medical records administrators possess a bachelor’s degree of the same field. For the clinical manager, his main responsibilities include create and instigate policies, objectives, systems for specific departments, gauge or evaluate staff and check the quality of work, prepare reports and budgets, and organize activities.
Health information managers’ responsibilities are to maintain and secure patient records. Recently, the Federal Government ratified a regulation requiring healthcare facilities to provide electronic patient data and keep these records secure. With this regulation, health information managers must keep abreast with latest technology in computers and software.
Small group of doctors might have one administrator, while a group of about 50 would employ a chief administrator and many assistants for each specific area of expertise. A good number of healthcare administrators do their work in an office environment, in charge of hospital managements, community health centers, managed care establishments, private medical practices, nursing homes and other health care services.
Preparation, Education and Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree sometimes is enough for entry-level stations in smaller facilities when one wants to obtain a job in the health care administration profession. However, in medical practitioner’s offices and in some other health care facilities they prefer to hire those with on-the-job trainings substitute formal education. Generalists positioned as health care managers would require a master’s degree as their standard credential.
Health services managers should be familiar with the practices and principles of management and needs to have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized and certified program. A total of 48 bachelor’s degree and 5 master’s degree programs in health information management were accredited in 2008 as the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management reported. Also in the same year, a total of 72 schools were given accreditation for programs prerequisite to a master’s degree in health services information according to the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.
Those who aspire to becoming clinical department heads should have a degree in the same field and adequate work experiences may suffice in the early stages of their careers but should push for higher education in order to reach executive or managerial level.
Students who are interested in pursuing a career in health care administration must take up high school subjects such as algebra, accounting, English, geometry, psychology, economics, sociology and computer skills among others.
People with interest in working as a healthcare administrator must possess a bachelor’s degree from accredited institutions. Majority of organizations require a master’s degree in health care management education, business administration or nursing administration. However, other courses in the related field are required for generalist positions.
Licensure Requirements
Administrators of health care facilities must have a bachelor’s degree, pass the licensing exams, complete a training program approved by the state. A continuing education is likewise required in all states and in the District of Columbia. In other states, healthcare administrators for assisted-living accommodations may require a license.
Health Care Administration Employment and Earnings
In 2008, health care administrators held about 283,500 jobs. About 38 percent were working at hospitals and 19 percent were in the offices of doctors or in nursing care facilities. Most of the remaining percentage are working in Federal Government health care facilities, home health care facilities, and outpatient care centers among others.
As of May 2008, the average annual salary of health care administrators was an estimated $80,240. Fifty percent earned about $62,170 to $104,120 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bottom ten percent earned not more than $48,300 while the highest ten percent made more than $137,800. Their earnings differ according to size and type of facility and the level of responsibility.
Jobs Available in Health Care Administration
Health care administration jobs are offered in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, private practices, and community clinics. Some jobs in this field includes medical or health interpreter, medical and health services manager, medical coder and biller, medical secretary, medical transcriptionist and patient representatives.
Job Forecast and Overview
Health care administration is expected to increase in the coming years. Opportunities for people with expertise in health care and acquire business management abilities will grow. An expected rise in the need for health care administrators is projected to grow 16 percent in the next ten years. Health care will be in need of the services of administrators to make sure the business flows efficiently.
Hospitals will still employ health care administrators but the number of new employment created will slow down because more will prefer the services of other outpatient care establishments and clinics.
The best people to work in this business should be passionate about their jobs, possess a strong visualization for the future and have a very clear understanding of the principles of being a leader. As this is a very time-demanding industry, many will want to take part in health care administration but people who wish to be part of this niche must possess selfless love and care to people in seek for medical attention and help.
Health care administration is one field in business that continues to thrive which has a combination of business management and genuine caring for people. Healthcare administrators, also known as healthcare executives or medical and health services managers are in charge of managing, making plans, and in the supervision in providing quality healthcare. These personnel working in health care administration are either experts in command of a clinical department or generalists managing an entire organization.
Rapid changes are happening recently in the organization as well as the financial aspect of the healthcare industry. Integration in health care administration, improvements in technology, a more multifaceted environment, reorganization and an escalating emphasis on preventive care is anticipated, so future healthcare administrators must come prepared to face all these challenges. The biggest challenge healthcare executives would be to upgrade the quality of care and productivity in health care facilities.
Organizational Structure of Health Care Administration
In big facilities, there are quite a lot of assistant administrators helping the health care administration managers with day-to-day operations. In smaller facilities, the top administrators handle the day-to day procedures and at the same time provide resident care.
Clinical managers are given adequate training or expertise in a particular clinical area and have bigger responsibilities than the generalists do. For instance, the director of a physical therapy department is a licensed physical therapist. Majority of health information and medical records administrators possess a bachelor’s degree of the same field. For the clinical manager, his main responsibilities include create and instigate policies, objectives, systems for specific departments, gauge or evaluate staff and check the quality of work, prepare reports and budgets, and organize activities.
Health information managers’ responsibilities are to maintain and secure patient records. Recently, the Federal Government ratified a regulation requiring healthcare facilities to provide electronic patient data and keep these records secure. With this regulation, health information managers must keep abreast with latest technology in computers and software.
Small group of doctors might have one administrator, while a group of about 50 would employ a chief administrator and many assistants for each specific area of expertise. A good number of healthcare administrators do their work in an office environment, in charge of hospital managements, community health centers, managed care establishments, private medical practices, nursing homes and other health care services.
Preparation, Education and Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree sometimes is enough for entry-level stations in smaller facilities when one wants to obtain a job in the health care administration profession. However, in medical practitioner’s offices and in some other health care facilities they prefer to hire those with on-the-job trainings substitute formal education. Generalists positioned as health care managers would require a master’s degree as their standard credential.
Health services managers should be familiar with the practices and principles of management and needs to have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized and certified program. A total of 48 bachelor’s degree and 5 master’s degree programs in health information management were accredited in 2008 as the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management reported. Also in the same year, a total of 72 schools were given accreditation for programs prerequisite to a master’s degree in health services information according to the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.
Those who aspire to becoming clinical department heads should have a degree in the same field and adequate work experiences may suffice in the early stages of their careers but should push for higher education in order to reach executive or managerial level.
Students who are interested in pursuing a career in health care administration must take up high school subjects such as algebra, accounting, English, geometry, psychology, economics, sociology and computer skills among others.
People with interest in working as a healthcare administrator must possess a bachelor’s degree from accredited institutions. Majority of organizations require a master’s degree in health care management education, business administration or nursing administration. However, other courses in the related field are required for generalist positions.
Licensure Requirements
Administrators of health care facilities must have a bachelor’s degree, pass the licensing exams, complete a training program approved by the state. A continuing education is likewise required in all states and in the District of Columbia. In other states, healthcare administrators for assisted-living accommodations may require a license.
Health Care Administration Employment and Earnings
In 2008, health care administrators held about 283,500 jobs. About 38 percent were working at hospitals and 19 percent were in the offices of doctors or in nursing care facilities. Most of the remaining percentage are working in Federal Government health care facilities, home health care facilities, and outpatient care centers among others.
As of May 2008, the average annual salary of health care administrators was an estimated $80,240. Fifty percent earned about $62,170 to $104,120 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bottom ten percent earned not more than $48,300 while the highest ten percent made more than $137,800. Their earnings differ according to size and type of facility and the level of responsibility.
Jobs Available in Health Care Administration
Health care administration jobs are offered in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, private practices, and community clinics. Some jobs in this field includes medical or health interpreter, medical and health services manager, medical coder and biller, medical secretary, medical transcriptionist and patient representatives.
Job Forecast and Overview
Health care administration is expected to increase in the coming years. Opportunities for people with expertise in health care and acquire business management abilities will grow. An expected rise in the need for health care administrators is projected to grow 16 percent in the next ten years. Health care will be in need of the services of administrators to make sure the business flows efficiently.
Hospitals will still employ health care administrators but the number of new employment created will slow down because more will prefer the services of other outpatient care establishments and clinics.
The best people to work in this business should be passionate about their jobs, possess a strong visualization for the future and have a very clear understanding of the principles of being a leader. As this is a very time-demanding industry, many will want to take part in health care administration but people who wish to be part of this niche must possess selfless love and care to people in seek for medical attention and help.
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