Health Services Administrator
Health services administrators are the leaders and managers of hospitals, physician offices, and healthcare systems. They operate behind the scenes, rarely directly interacting with patients as nurses and doctors do. However, the role of a health services administrator is of equal importance as that of the medical staff of any healthcare facility, as the administrators are the people who ensure that the facility runs at optimum efficiency. They have a wide range of responsibilities, including maintaining a work schedule for the medical staff to guarantee that the facility is always adequately staffed, implementing as well as creating policies, and handling many of the financial aspects of running the facility. Hospitals, clinics, and physician offices are all essentially businesses that require spending and profit to exist, and this business aspect of healthcare is one of the main responsibilities of a health services administrator. The role is so focused on the business aspect, in fact, that the University of Chicago initially placed its hospital administration program in its business school.
Employment positions for administrative and management jobs, including health services administrators, are expected to see a 12 percent growth in opportunities by 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The health care sector is growing to accommodate the increasing world population.
Prospective health services administrators must earn a minimum of a Master of Health Administration from an accredited program of study. Those looking to advance their careers in the healthcare industry should consider enrolling in a MHA program, which will open up more opportunities in highly rewarding and specialized management fields. The MHA programs focus on general and financial management, public health, organization, and medical law and ethics. This provides program graduates with knowledge and skill in both healthcare and business, which is essential for an individual who hopes to run a healthcare facility in the best way possible. The Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) is the only accrediting entity recognized by the United States Department of Education to provide accreditation for the Master of Health Administration degree programs.
