Healthcare administration management is one of the most rapidly growing fields in the healthcare industry. By entering into this profession, individuals will find an array of job choices that contribute to the everyday functionality of the healthcare system. There are certifications, Associate’s Degrees and Bachelor’s Degrees in healthcare management that can lead to a long career with competitive pay and job stability. Each position is largely dependent upon one’s level of education and experience. These jobs do not involve providing medical care but are inherent to the day-to-day functioning of a healthcare practice.
Healthcare Administration Jobs
There are a wide variety of healthcare management positions available in the medical field. Some positions require more educational training than others. There is the opportunity to enter this profession into a lower-level management role, while there is also a chance to progress to a higher-paying, upper-level management position. Here is a look at a just a few healthcare management positions:
Medical Office Administrator – This position involves running the clerical and administrative side of a healthcare practice. This also involves customer service duties as medical office administrators routinely answer phone calls and speak with insurance companies. Looking for contracts and monitoring accounts are two more routine tasks.
Medical Executive Assistant – These individuals are involved with the development and management of projects and sometimes find themselves writing a number of grant proposals. There is also a good deal of communications involved.
Public Health Information Officer – There is a wide range of responsibilities for this role, including the development of educational campaigns, as well as handling the media relationships with a health institution.
Health Services Manager – These managers are in charge of planning and directing medical health services. This could involve the management of a department, clinical area or an entire facility.
Healthcare management positions can also include that of a health human resources manager, patient services manager, nurse administration manager, and managed care executive. For higher level management positions, additional education is required.
Healthcare Administration Certification and Education
There are a number of educational options for those looking to embark upon a health management career. The quickest route to landing a healthcare management position is by earning a certification from an accredited post-secondary school. However, the positions open to healthcare managers with only a certification are limited while additional training is also required. Individuals can enhance their credentials by obtaining an Associate’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Management.
This education will cover health care policy and the business aspect of healthcare management. The respective curriculums also cover risk management, healthcare planning, and quality assurance while also taking into consideration the numerous policies that influence healthcare. An education in healthcare management is a way to start a career in a supervisory or managerial role in the medical field. However, these positions do not involve providing actual patient care.
The more advanced the degree, the more in-depth the curriculum delves into healthcare management. Graduate programs are available as those who earn a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Management have the opportunity to attain high-level positions, such as hospital executives and clinical directors.
Healthcare Management Administrators
There are several characteristics that are evident in those in the healthcare management profession. One of the essential characteristics is the ability to exhibit excellent communication skills. Since healthcare management requires the involvement of many professionals, there is a priority on sound communication.
A premium is also placed on the organizational skills of those working in healthcare management. With so much going on, it is important to be able to organize programs, tasks, and initiatives so that they function accordingly. Those constant flurries of activity can also create pressure-filled situations, meaning that healthcare management professionals must be able to work under pressure. This can be a fast-paced work environment.
Healthcare Administration Jobs and Work Settings
There are a large number of workplaces that are home to those in2 the healthcare management profession. Hospitals, private physician practices, and nursing facilities all require the services of healthcare management professionals. There is also the potential to work for consulting firms, public health departments, and research institutions. Meanwhile, some of the more common places of employment include health insurance organizations, clinics, and rehabilitation centers.
Healthcare Administration Salary
There really is a broad range of salaries for those entering into the healthcare management line of work. Smaller scale practice managers earn typically earn an average salary of $79,000 per year. Meanwhile, those who have upgraded their training and experience could step into a position as a health informatics manager and that average salary checks in at $89,000 annually. There is also higher level management positions, which include hospital administrators who report an average salary of $110,000 per year. A lot of other factors go into the annual salary as a facility’s budget plays a major role in the determination of healthcare management professional’s pay rate.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the top 10% of healthcare managers, who have earned a minimum of a Master’s Degree, earn an average salary of $144,000 per year. These statistics also indicate that the size of a facility plays an influential role in salary. Based on that criteria, the BLS determined that healthcare management professionals working in a practice with less than six doctors earn an average of salary of $86,459 per year.
The job demand for healthcare management professionals is increasing due to the ever-expanding nature of the healthcare profession in general. The BLS predicts that there will be a 17% job growth in this industry by the year 2024. To keep pace with the rise in employment throughout the overall healthcare industry, new healthcare management positions are opening up at an increased rate.
Resources
American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management
The AAHIM provides resources, networking opportunities and certifications for healthcare management professionals.
Health Care Administrators Associations
The HCAA is a resource that enables healthcare managers to stay current with the latest industry trends, events, and news.
Healthcare Financial Management Association
This association helps guide healthcare managers on their career paths and advancement through this particular field.