Just like regular institutions, healthcare facilities like hospitals, clinics, insurance providers, pharmacies, nursing homes need an administrator who runs and manages them. Getting a Healthcare Administration Degree will enable you to work in any of these facilities either to manage them or work for a specific clinical department.
So, if you prefer to work behind the scenes of a healthcare institution where you organize and compile data, a degree in Health Administration is for you.
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What Jobs Can You Get with a Healthcare Administration Degree?
Healthcare administration offers a range of job opportunities. Though your earning potential will vary depending on the level of education, experience, and expertise of the job, the Bureau shares a largely positive salary outlook for healthcare administration professionals.
A degree in Healthcare Administration opens doors to job opportunities to fields that don’t necessarily require to work in a hospital. Some of those careers are Health Information Manager, Consulting Healthcare Administrator, Social Welfare Administrator, Healthcare Program Director, Hospice Administrator, etc.
Entry-level Healthcare Administration Jobs
As an entry-level administrator, your responsibility is to make sure the facilities are running smoothly, ensure that there is a trained staff in key areas of expertise, supervise the employees and other daily tasks. Jobs as entry-level personnel in Healthcare Administration consist of positions such as marketing assistants, operating assistants, insurance company representatives, and accountants.
| Profession | Job Description | Median Salary |
| Nursing Home Administrative Assistant | Operational duties around the office, plan and direct | $55,147 |
| Medical Reimbursement Specialist | Help patients with processing insurance reimbursements, scheduling and making bill payment plans | $47,568 |
| Healthcare Consultant | Examine the efficiency, profits, and structure of the business, offer suggestions for improvement | $83,610 |
| Healthcare Human Resource Manager | Oversee employee administrative affairs in an organization | $66,217 |
Healthcare Administration Managers
Part of the job as a healthcare administrator manager is to keep up to date with changes that are implemented, make sure there is an adequate income to cover improvements in the latest technology, keep tabs on trends in order to improve patient care and help influence new policies. Jobs as a Healthcare Administration manager include Outpatient Care Supervisor, Clinic Administrator, Nursing Home Administrator to mention a few.
| Profession | Job Description | Median Salary |
| Nursing Home Administrator | Supervise clinical and administrative affairs of nursing homes | $98,350 |
| Clinic Administrator | Oversee the daily operations of a medical clinic | $62,087 |
| Hospital Marketing Staff | Promote products or services of the business in a way that attracts consumers | $136,340 |
| Outpatient Care Supervisor | Oversee all facility operations to ensure high-quality patient services | $97,400 |
| Wellness Program Administrator | Develop, implement, promote wellness and fitness programs | $61,646 |
Senior-level Healthcare Administration Managers and Executives
Senior-level executives should be able to encourage the improvement and continuous development of a healthcare organization. In order to be eligible to get promoted in these positions, an applicant must be at a department director level, therefore having a master’s degree in your possession is an advantage. These positions consist of Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Business Development Officer, Chief Clinical Officer to name a few.
| Profession | Job description | Median salary |
| Top executives | Devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. | $189,600 |
| Behavioral Health Director | Coordinate the day-to-day operations of mental health agencies | $107,865 |
| Ambulatory Services Executive | Coordinate all aspects of outpatient care | $103,680 |
Skills Needed to Be a Healthcare Administrator
Since a career in healthcare is fast-paced and stressful at times, it is crucial for professionals to have a desire and dedication to helping others in order to keep up with the overload. Healthcare is a field based on collaboration where communication skills are immensely important. Empathy for people of different backgrounds and cultures is also a vital quality any employee in health care should possess. Moreover, health care administrators must enjoy working with people in a variety of circumstances including nurses and support staff.
One of the most important roles of this job is making important decisions that affect multiple individuals. That is a huge responsibility and it often requires quick decision-making with the best interest of the team in mind. You must think critically, have great problem-solving skills and be rational, in order to achieve the best outcome. Qualities such as the ability to motivate and guide those in need, inspire the staff to be better and fight for a greater system are significant.
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Healthcare Careers Outlook
With the healthcare system in the United States evolving constantly, health administration careers are also growing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, professionals in healthcare administration can expect employment growth of 18 percent from 2018 to 2028 – 5 percent higher than the average in any field of employment. Given the rapid changes in the industry, getting new certificates helps to stay up to date and advance your career further.
Healthcare Administration Degrees
Degrees vary in terms of the number of credits needed to complete it, the classes you will be taking and how much you have to invest in them.
1. Associate’s in Healthcare Administration
For those seeking entry-level jobs in healthcare, this degree is worth the investment and it takes about two years to complete. With a program of 60 credits, you will become educated on how the business operates, basic knowledge in pathology, legal policies in healthcare and skills in technology. There are many job opportunities in mental health or nursing home facilities that an associate degree in healthcare administration will qualify for. The classes you will be taking consist of business administration, healthcare management, introduction to anatomy, medical law and ethics, medical terminology and so on.
2. Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration
A bachelor’s degree will prepare you for employment in this particular field. Some of the classes you will be taking are advanced health systems, employment and medical law, organizational leadership and so on. You will get familiar with how the advances in technology, continuous shifts in policies, growth in organizational complexity have created challenges in the healthcare division. You will get prepared to face these challenges head-on during the four years of university.
3. Master’s in Healthcare Administration
The master’s degree program ranges between 32 and 60 credits, which typically takes up to two years to complete. By taking classes such as Global Health and Diversity, Healthcare Policy, Strategic Human Resource Management, Strategic Planning, you will gain high-level instruction in business leadership and administration. If you are interested in earning your Master’s degree in Health Administration, the UTOP MHA degree program was created to prepare you in those areas. If you are wondering if a master’s degree in Health Administration is worth it or how it can help you to advance your career we break it down in great detail.
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