A career as a hospital administrator is lucrative, and job prospects are excellent, with a greater than average growth expected in this field. In fact, Money Magazine chose hospital administration as one of the best jobs to have in 2009 and 2010, with high marks for job satisfaction, future growth, and benefit to society.
Job Responsibilities
Anyone who has been in a hospital, whether as a visitor or patient, has some idea of how busy these facilities can be. Hospital administrators keep the hospital running efficiently by making good management plans that allow healthcare services to be delivered efficiently—and within budget. Hospital administrators are involved with decisions about technology and medical equipment, and hiring and training medical staff and hospital personnel.
Healthcare is regulated by federal and state agencies, and the administrator must ensure the hospital is in compliance. Financial dealings involve working with insurance companies and managed care policies. Hospital administrators may not have direct contact with any patients, but they interact with all the other people involved with the hospital, including the board of directors, physicians, nurses, maintenance staff, the heads of medical departments, other members of the administrative and financing staff, including assistant administrators, as well as community and government officials. It is an extremely challenging job, with a high level of stress, long hours—and enormous satisfaction for the right person.
Required Skills
Anyone who is thinking of going into hospital administration should have strong leadership abilities and be capable of handling responsibility. A solid understanding of business, finance, information technology, and healthcare policy and systems is useful for this career, as is an effective management style.
Educational Requirements
There are several educational requirements you must meet for this career.
- A four-year Bachelor’s Degree in administration, preferably business administration, public or health sciences, or health information management, is the minimum requirement for an entry level position such as an administrative assistant for a specific department. Entry-level jobs in some fields, such as health information management, require a Bachelor’s Degree in this discipline.
- You will need to have a Master’s Degree in public health administration, healthcare management, hospital administration, or business administration from an accredited program to obtain a higher-level management position. This may take between two to three years to complete. If possible, choose a graduate program that specializes in hospital administration.
- Along with coursework in hospital administration and finances, economics, ethics, health information, and human resources, you will be expected to complete a year of supervised administrative work. You may be able to secure a postgraduate residency or fellowship at a hospital that will give you experience working in various administrative departments.
Job Prospects and Salary
The healthcare industry is expected to grow, especially as more of the population ages, and hospitals will need to hire good administrators who are knowledgeable about medical information and healthcare policy and are effective business managers. There are many managerial and administrative positions available at any hospital, including assistant-level jobs. With experience, administrative managers can compete for higher level, more lucrative executive positions.
The average annual salary for a hospital administrator is $90,970. Hospitals tend to pay their administrators more than nursing homes or outpatient clinics do.
Healthcare financing, an aging population, and advances in medical technology are just some of the challenges that hospital administrators tackle as they work to deliver the best medical care possible to the communities they serve. If these are the kinds of challenges you are up for, consider a career in hospital administration.