Medical and health service managers, also known as healthcare administrators, are the centerpiece of success for a healthcare facility. They are planning experts, who help direct and coordinate health services, manage facilities and stay up to speed with constantly evolving healthcare laws, technology and regulations.
When visiting a healthcare facility, you probably won’t see much of an administrator. Rather than working the hospital floor, they are usually behind a desk creating budgets, analyzing facility activities and maintenance or attending meetings between governing boards, medical staff and department heads.
Work Environment
Exactly where a healthcare manager makes use of their skills can vary. Some may take jobs at large hospitals where they are often part of a team of administrators, each with their own area of expertise. Others may work at small facilities where they oversee issues ranging from personnel to admissions and finance.
Education and Skills
Healthcare administrators typically must have at least a bachelor’s degree before entering the field, but a master’s degree is often recommended.
Healthcare professionals are generally well-versed in the areas of critical thinking, decision-making, written and oral communication and reading comprehension. They also tend to be socially adept team-builders who know how to prioritize their time and manage their emotions.
Salary and Job Outlook
Due to the expected increase in need for healthcare services, healthcare management is expected to grow by 23% through 2022 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). As of 2014 data, the average salary for this position was $103,680. With an aging Baby Boomer population reaching the age of retirement over the next few decades, the projected need in health administration jobs are expected to grow steadily.
Many Options
One of the biggest benefits to a career as a healthcare administrator is the flexibility it tends to offer. The job market is typically strong in this field and may offer higher salaries than other positions in the healthcare industry. This is due for two reasons:
- The specialized nature of the position
- Many healthcare administrators hold a master’s degree
The flexibility is not limited just to location, but in the type of facility in which an administrator can work. Whether it’s a public clinic, major hospital, nursing home, psychiatric hospital or a medical device supplier, a degree in healthcare management can take its holder just about anywhere in the healthcare industry.
Changing Careers? Get Your Degree Online
There are no shortage of programs to attend in order to receive a degree in healthcare management, even if you’re already a professional. With online education programs continuing to grow in popularity, there is a large number of online universities helping people earn healthcare management degrees.
For example, Florida Tech University Online offers three different degree paths with an eye toward healthcare management. Students can receive a bachelor of arts, a master’s certificate or a mini MBA, which offers master’s curricula courses in advanced business principles and specialized healthcare management. The degrees are 100% online and can be completed in as little as eight months.
More traditional paths to a healthcare management degree are available as well, but the example of Florida Tech is a good case-in-point for realizing that achieving a goal of becoming a healthcare administrator is not linked to attending a four-year institution or sacrificing your current job just to get there. It can be done in a variety of ways and the payoff is a career with a promising future.
