Healthcare administration plays a pivotal role in improving and advancing the standard of care at hospitals. Without skilled healthcare leaders, it is far easier for mistakes to occur or for hospitals to fall behind as advancements in healthcare occur.
Ensuring hospitals run more efficiently and effectively
Even the most skilled nurses and doctors need healthcare administrators to take care of the tasks necessary for daily operations and planning. Without administrators planning and taking care of tasks such as accounting, budgeting, allocating funds for improvements, overseeing hiring, and looking for ways to improve the standard of care, hospitals can quickly see a decline in the standard of care and general dissatisfaction among anyone employed within the medical system or department they are in charge of overseeing.
Hospitals have many departments and branches. Each department must be well organized and headed by competent healthcare administrators that are great communicators. When each department is well organized and run, the entire hospital will operate at peak efficiency and offer better care to more people in a shorter amount of time.
Reducing mistakes and errors
Hospitals are busy places, so it can be easy for mistakes to happen, especially during a time when there is a remarkable shortage of healthcare workers. Hospitals are having to find ways to take care of more people with the same number of staff or, in some cases, fewer than they had in the past.
Healthcare administrators should always be looking for ways to increase communication among staff and offer better record-keeping systems to avoid mistakes when caring for patients. An excellent example of this is the advent of computerized record-keeping systems and barcode scanners that automatically document when any medications or treatments are administered. When patients receive services, their armband is scanned, and records are updated. This allows nurses to easily double-check to make sure a mistake does not happen, such as one patient receiving a medication that should go to the patient in the room next to them.
Automatically updated records also allow any authorized nurse, doctor, or specialist within the medical system to access the most up-to-date information on a patient on demand, thus saving a lot of time.
Staffing hospitals with qualified workers
Hospitals in some areas will require help attracting the qualified medical staff necessary to service the medical needs of those in their region of operation.
Meeting staffing needs at hospitals can be very difficult, especially when a specific specialist is required. Healthcare administrators are in charge of finding out where staffing issues are most critical and finding strategies to attract workers to their facility. As an administrator, you might find that you need to attend job fairs in a variety of locations. Some facilities are finding that they benefit from increasing the range of their recruitment by attending job fairs further away than they might have in the past.
Effective advertising on industry job boards and sites as well as commonly used employment websites helps hospital administrators access a large pool of applicants from all over the country. Many people are more willing than ever to relocate for the right job and benefits package. By advertising nationally, hospital administrators are more likely to find the qualified staff they need to improve the quality of care at their hospital.
Administrators are also responsible for budgeting and figuring out what types of incentives their facility can offer new hires to entice them to work for them and not another hospital. Sign-on bonuses that offer help with relocation expenses and finding housing are becoming increasingly common.
Good healthcare administration improves employee morale and long-term retention rates
Healthcare administrators are typically those who have been healthcare workers on the floor of a hospital or other medical facility for many years. These professionals have gained experience and expertise and decided to take the next step in their career path. Healthcare administration is a great career choice for mid-career and senior-level nurses, for example.
Administrators often help with training and provide mentorship to new employees regardless of that employee’s experience level. Even an experienced medical professional can benefit from having a mentor to help them learn and integrate into a new position.
When employees feel well supported and are provided the right level of training and orientation, they are more likely to be satisfied with their new job and stay in their position for the long term. Improving employee retention rates is important for all hospitals because recruitment, training, and incentive programs all cost money and take time.
The rising need for healthcare administration and workers
There are many reasons why there is a need for more healthcare workers and administrators. One of the main reasons for increased demand is the large aging population of adults throughout the world. Contrary to popular belief, the phenomenon of large numbers of older adults is not just a problem in North America.
Older adults have greater healthcare needs than younger people and their needs often require more advanced treatments and specialists to manage well.
There is also an increase in the number of people living with chronic conditions. This holds true for those in all age groups.
Hospitals are just one type of facility in need of great administrators and workers. Assisted living facilities and elder care centers also need dedicated staff to support our aging population.
This incredible demand means that now is a great time to pursue a career in any healthcare-related field or advance your skills and career if you already have some experience.
A natural career progression for experienced healthcare administration professionals
There is a strong demand for healthcare administrators because so many senior-level medical professionals are due to retire over the next decade. Now is an excellent time to earn an advanced degree so that you are ready to take the next step in your career.
Over time, even those who really love what they do may be ready for a change of pace. You may want to consider a career in healthcare that allows for a more regular work schedule and more time spent in the office and less time on your feet hustling. That is not to say that healthcare administration does not offer a challenging work environment. There are plenty of problems and obstacles that you will need to tackle on a daily basis, but like other areas of healthcare, you will find that overcoming these challenges will help benefit a lot of people and allow patients to receive the level of care they deserve.
Representing healthcare facilities at conferences and industry events
While a lot of conferences and meetings are conducted virtually, there are still many opportunities for administrators to network at industry-related events. It is important for hospitals and medical networks to send their employees as dedicated and knowledgeable representatives. If you choose a career as a healthcare administrator, you may be asked to attend a variety of these events.
It is critical that healthcare administrators have exceptional communication skills. Being comfortable speaking publicly to larger audiences is extremely beneficial if you want to be an administrator who is at the forefront of the medical industry. It is very possible that you will be asked to deliver a lecture or participate in group panels that require working with people from many different specialties and backgrounds.
Managing all the paperwork required to operate a medical facility
While administrators may not do all the paperwork at a hospital, they ensure that the paperwork system is operating efficiently and that regulations are being met. This is essential because not complying with paperwork requirements and keeping good records of patient care, insurance, accounting, and other subjects can lead to significant trouble for any medical facility.
Major paperwork relevant to the main operations of a specific department or facility may be assigned to you if you have an administrative position. Those who are moving from a position such as a nurse or a doctor will find that as an administrator, they do a lot more paperwork and have less interaction with patients than in the past, so keep this in mind when considering such a transition.
Keeping up with new industry regulations and remaining compliant
There are many rules and regulations that medical facilities must follow to remain licensed and in compliance with local, state, and national laws. Administrators have an obligation to keep everything up to date. This means planning and budgeting for any necessary improvements, staff training, and more.
A large part of the regulatory aspects of healthcare administration is simply keeping up with legislation and industry news. Facilities are often allowed a time period to bring themselves up to date when a new regulation or law is passed. Due to planning and budgetary constraints, it is important to take advantage of this time to plan for improvements and designate funding. For example, buying new equipment or upgrading a facility may require hiring a company that has to be booked in advance.
The ability to think long-term and plan ahead is critical for those who want a management-level administration position at any medical or care facility.
How to gain a Healthcare Administration position
One of the main requirements for entering an administrative position is experience in healthcare and preferably some managerial experience in a healthcare or related field. Having an advanced degree will increase your odds of gaining any position you apply for.
It is recommended that you have at least five years of managerial experience and an advanced degree before you can expect to achieve a high-level managerial position in healthcare. If you are currently a healthcare worker and want to plan for advancing your career, then it’s worth taking steps to gain management and mentoring experience at your current job.
Exploring healthcare administration programs such as the Executive Master of Health Administration at the University of Ottawa is advised. The Telfer School of Management program can be finished entirely online while you continue to work at your current job. The program can be completed in just two years and prepares you to take on the highest-level positions in healthcare administration. This is a great way for mid-career and senior-level nurses and doctors to explore another job role or simply gain more skills that they can apply in their current position.
Acquiring more skills and qualifications is one way to improve your chances of raises and promotions when the opportunity arises at your medical facility.
If you are willing to relocate, you may be able to move up to a better position than you could find staying in your current area. This is a great opportunity to look around at job opportunities in healthcare administration throughout the country and compare what options are best for you and your family.
Conclusion
Healthcare administrators play a critical role in how smoothly a medical or care facility operates and the care they can routinely offer their patients.
It is important to have administrators on board who have plenty of medical experience and who are comfortable working with people from diverse backgrounds.
With a large population of aging adults and many medical administrators reaching the end of their careers, it is a great time for those with some healthcare experience to consider taking on a management-level position.
Hospitals in particular are in great need of administrators who are highly skilled and ready to lead the way to a bright future. As hospitals expand their available beds to accommodate growing demand, the need for competent administrators will grow even greater.
In addition, administrators can help guide new healthcare workers to do the best job they can in providing care to more patients than ever before. Strong healthcare leaders make great mentors for those just entering the world of healthcare.