| Topic: Career, Jobs | ||
| Title: Hospital Administration: Career Analysis | ||
| Creation Date: 10/2003 |
Hospital Administration: Career AnalysisThe job title hospital administrator belongs to the job family of healthcare management, and in some work settings is synonymous. A hospital administrator is usually an executive-level manager in a healthcare/ hospital or managed care setting. A hospital administrator is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the hospital or healthcare setting operates efficiently while providing adequate medical care to patients. The actual responsibilities and day-to-day operations are quite extensive and most hospital administrators delegate tasks to subordinate managers. A hospital administrator on a typical day will attend meetings with managers, field phone calls and e-mails, make high-level decisions on projects and analyze reports or financial statements. A master’s degree in health care administration or related field is usually the minimum educational level required to attain the position of hospital administrator. The first step right before or right after graduation should be to participate in a fellowship or internship with a health care company. Most fellows or interns work with a mentor who will help guide them through the first few years in the health care management field. The path to hospital administrator is not direct and an employee usually has over 10 years experience as a health care manger prior to becoming a hospital administrator. There are no entry level hospital administrator jobs and most managers mentor with a hospital administrator several years before they are able to attain the position of hospital administrator.
Healthcare management is a growing field and will increase 30 percent from 1996 to 2006 and will account for 3.1 million new jobs, the largest increase of any industry (Careers, n.d.). States with populations older now than in the past will have an increased need for healthcare services and therefore hospital managers and administrators. The trend among most employees now appears to be moving towards changing jobs more often. The days of working and retiring from one place has gone by the wayside for a majority of college graduates entering the workforce. Earnings in the southeast United States are the lowest and salaries are highest in the West, according to Haddock (2002). Since most hospital administrators require 10 years experience, the median salary is high at $130,000 per year (Information, 2002). The earnings will depend on the type of company the hospital administrator is employed at. A hospital administrator could be expected to earn anywhere between $53,000 and $220,000 per year. According to SIGI (Information, 2002) the skills used and required to adequately fill the role of hospital administrator are persuading/negotiating, coordinating work with others, supervising/directing/assessing, making presentations, preparing reports, gathering information, analyzing/interpreting/evaluating, planning, making decisions, developing budgets and managing time and resources. A hospital administrator must also keep up with technology, government regulations, health insurance changes and financial or investment opportunities. Some hospital administrators are being hired by consulting firms, pharmaceutical supply companies and insurance companies, as well as the traditional hospital or clinic setting. The job of hospital administrator does not allow for self-employment, since the career involves working in a hospital or similar type of facility. None of the research I conducted indicated any differences in employment of women or minorities into the position of hospital administrator, but instead concentrated on the education and experience required. In general, most employers are seeking to operate with diversity and hire women and minorities into more positions. An employee must have obtained the required master's degree and worked as a healthcare manager for several years to become a hospital administrator. To actually obtain the position of hospital administrator usually requires an involved interview process and is extremely competitive. Most employees have worked for the same facility they become hospital administrators at for many years. Shands HealthCare employs hospital administrators and a typical job announcement would include the job title, job requisition number, work location, the department, starting salary range, the job duties and the minimum qualifications required. Hospital administrators have a great deal of stress and responsibility, which can vary depending on the size of the employing agency. A person in this position would usually work in an office, moving to conference rooms for meetings, attending fundraisers outside of normal work hours and traveling by plane or car for conferences and training events. An employer will usually require a hospital administrator to have a minimum of a master's degree in health care administration or related field. The candidate should be affiliated with the American College of health care executives, or similar organization(s). Most hospital administrators will have worked a minimum of 10 years in the healthcare management field prior to becoming hospital administrator. There does not appear to be a specific license or certificate required. Any health care management training or seminars attended should be documented for advancement opportunities and further consideration when interviewing for a hospital administrator position. Any additional licenses or certificates (i.e. RN) would be complimentary to a resume or job interview process.
Most hospital administrators are members of professional associations such as the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) or the American Hospital Association (AHA). Some hospital administrators also obtain certifications from organizations to complement their education and experience. Most hospital administrators are very active in the communities they work in and may be board members of community groups, host fundraisers or volunteer time for charities. The demand for hospital managers and administrators is high and expected to grow. The western United States (i.e. California ) has the largest growth rate in the healthcare field. States such as Florida also have older populations that make healthcare management a substantial and growing career field. The outlook is considered “very good” by SIGI (Information, 2002). The work hours of a hospital administrator are usually very long and together with charity work, health-related board memberships and travel away from home require a deep commitment to the job. Family life is more than likely negatively affected and it takes a very understanding family to be living with a hospital administrator.
Hospital administrators are very dedicated, well compensated managers in the health care setting. Through hard work, dedication and perseverance managers in the health care setting can strive to become hospital administrators. Ten years seems like a lot of time to put toward a career goal, but if someone wants to work hard and make a difference, it would be worth the effort. Most hospital administrators are well-respected members of the community and the workplace. Prestige however cannot be the only motivation to become a hospital administrator. A hospital administrator can expect a busy, fulfilling, service-oriented career that will enhance the lives of many others in the community.
Haddock, Cynthia Carter, McLean, Robert A., & Chapman, Robert C. (2002). Careers in Healthcare Management : How To Find Your Path and Follow It. Chicago, IL: Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Careers information document. (n.d.) Retrieved October 5, 2003, from the American College of Healthcare Executives website: http://www.healthmanagementcareers.com/
Information about Hospital/Managed Care Administrator. (2002). Retrieved September 10, 2003, from the Educational Testing Service website: https://sigi.ets.org/
Career: Hospital Administrator. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2003, from the Princeton Review website: http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/profiles/
Shands HealthCare. (2002). Hospital Administrator job description. Gainesville, FL: Author.
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