Becoming a Healthcare Services Administrator

Healthcare management is the business side of the healthcare field. It includes the management of healthcare facilities like hospitals, government health departments, private physician facilities, health insurance companies, etc. as well as the planning, direction, and coordination of medical and health services. If you’re someone who likes dealing with people as well as the intersection of healthcare and business, an associate or bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration might be a great fit for you. Healthcare administrators are just as in demand as patient caregivers and a degree in heath service administration prepares students for such positions.

What does a healthcare administrator do?

Depending on your individual interests the daily duties of a healthcare administrator vary. You could focus more on the business side of the system, managing a facility or department, including managing its finances as well as keeping and organizing the facilities’ records. If you are more interested in health services you may find positions that focus on managed care, public health or community issues. Either way you’ll be expected to keep up with healthcare policies, laws and regulations and likely be dealing with people a great deal – either through working with patients or healthcare professionals. Some examples of specific roles include: nursing home administrator, clinical manager, health information manager and assistant administrator.

Where does a healthcare administrator work?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), just over 333,000 people had jobs as health service administrators in 2014. The largest work setting for these people was state, local and private hospitals. But, healthcare administrators can work in physicians’ offices, nursing care facilities, home health care, outpatient centers, federal, state and local government agencies, and national associations, among other settings. Most professionals in the field work full time and they often work evenings, overnight and weekends since healthcare is a 24-hour a day service.

What level of training and education is required?

Education requirements vary depending on where you want to work. However a minimum of a healthcare administration degree at the bachelor’s level is common. Some positions may require a master’s degree as well and facilities like nursing homes may require additional licenses. Look for degree programs that cover all the basics, such as finance, legal aspects in healthcare, disaster planning and management and information systems.

Additionally, having strong soft and employability skills is important. Employers may want you to demonstrate that you have analytical skills, good communications skills, interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities and a good grasp of healthcare technology, such as coding and classification software and electronic health records systems.

What is the job outlook?

Many experts say the aging Baby Boomer population means the demand for healthcare facilities and services will continue to grow, so the need for qualified individuals to manage them will also increase. The BLS predicts a job growth rate of 17 percent between 2014 and 2024 for the field, which is greater than the average for all industries. The biggest growth is expected to happen in private offices and outpatient facilities as more hospitals shift services traditionally offered as inpatient services to external facilities.

If you are interested in starting or advancing your career as a health services administrator, a great place to start is by earning a degree. Bryant & Stratton College offers a healthcare administration degree that is outcomes-based and career focused. If you are interested in learning about this degree or the other online degrees offered by the College, please call 1.888.447.3528 to speak with an admissions representative.