Healthcare Administration

Many opportunities exist for those seeking health care administration jobs and training. As baby boomers age, the amount of needed workers in the healthcare industry is expected to increase. As medical technology and outpatient care changes the hospital environment and the nature of care, well trained and educated administrators will be needed to oversee and implement new care techniques. Health care administrators will also be expected to maintain profitability and control costs, and the education of healthcare administrators will need to provide several key skills. Now is a great time to consider working in healthcare administration!

Depending on the particular area of health care administration an individual wants to work in, training can require degrees ranging from a bachelors degree to a doctorate. Health care administrators are also required to know basic business and accounting skills and effective ways of administrating health care. At the entry level, departmental level, or at small practices, a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration may be enough. For larger facilities and serious oversight jobs, however, a master’s degree is necessary. Popular master’s degrees for those looking to go into healthcare administration are: public health, health sciences, health services administration or, simply, public administration. Clinical managers typically have a degree in the department they supervise; an administrator in surgery will be a degreed surgeon. With higher education, salary and opportunities increase.

Training for healthcare administration at the graduate level can be very general, covering all types of healthcare administration, or it can be specific to one area or type of facility. A comprehensive program will cover hospital management, accounting, marketing, health economics and health information systems. Graduates of master’s programs may start out immediately in administrative positions, especially in smaller facilities. A bachelors degree may earn a graduate an assistant managing position in smaller facilities. As of 2010, those with a doctorate can expect higher level positions on entering and salaries ranging from $58,000 to $100,000 (top ten percent only) per year.

Health care administration is a growing field and well trained administrators are needed in many different areas. Those with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and some experience in the healthcare industry, may find that a master’s program can increase earnings and opportunities for advancement. Others in public administration may experience a need for a more healthcare specific education and decide to go through a master’s or doctoral degree program. There are many possible roads to a lucrative career in healthcare administration.

Health care administration jobs and training are increasingly in need as the largest part of the population increases in age and the amount of needed care. The health care industry is expected to need a growing number of staff and administrators in the coming years and new care techniques are expected to increase in-home care and change the technology used in care. Controlling costs and maintaining profit will be a large part of a healthcare administrator’s job. Healthcare training can range from a bachelors degree to a doctorate. The type of degree can increase opportunities and earnings.