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Health Administration/Management

Overview

Healthcare is a business and, like every other business, it needs good management to keep it running smoothly.The term "medical and health services manager

(http://science.education.nih.gov/LifeWorks.nsf/Interviews/Wade+Atkins) " applies to those professionals whoplan, direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of healthcare.

Today, an estimated 100,000 people serve in health administration, from middle management to CEO positions atorganizations that range in size from 1-2 staff members to major international companies employing hundreds ofthousands of employees.

For more information, see Association of University Programs in Health Administration

(http://www.aupha.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3357) Website. You might also consider buying a copy ofthe Healthcare Management Education Directory (http://www.aupha.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3323).  

Once you have your degree, you might want to check out the American College of Healthcare Executives Website

(http://www.ache.org/), which provides online career services.

 

  www.explorehealthcareers.org

Health Administrator

Overview

Health administrators are leaders. They head up hospitals, physician group practices, nursing homes, and homehealth agencies. They also work in the public sector, for example in health departments, or in the private sector,such as with pharmaceutical companies, health insurance providers, consulting firms, or companies that makemedical supplies and equipment.

Many graduates help to shape healthcare policy by pursuing careers with local, state, or federal agencies (such asthe Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) or health-related nationalassociations, such as the Red Cross or the American Hospital Association.

Today, an estimated 100,000 people serve in health administration, from middle management to CEO positions --at organizations of only 1-2 staff members to major international companies employing hundreds of thousands ofemployees.

Health administrators are either specialists or generalists. Specialists head up specific clinical departments orservices, while generalists manage (or help to manage) an entire facility or system.

For more information, see Association of University Programs in Health Administration

(http://www.aupha.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=10) website. You might also consider buying a copy of theHealthcare Management Education Directory (http://www.aupha.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3323).  

Working Conditions

Unlike clinicians, health administrators or managers do not deal directly with patients on a day-to-day basis.Instead, they help to shape policy, make needed changes, and lead our nation's health-related organizations in away that serves individual patients by helping to improve the allover healthcare system.

Most health administrators work long hours. Since the facilities they manage (nursing homes, hospitals, clinics,etc.) operate around the clock, a manager may be called at all hours to deal with problems. Some travel also isinvolved in this field, since managers may need to inspect satellite facilities, attend meetings, etc.

NOTE: For profiles of real-life people working in health administration -- including a Managed Care Director, aHealth Services Project Administrator and an Assistant Administrator, as well as professionals in Business

Development and Quality & Accountability Initiatives -- see the American College of Healthcare Executives

(http://www.healthmanagementcareers.org/careers.cfm)  website.

Academic Requirements

Degrees in health management/administration are available at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels;however, almost every position in this field requires at least a master's degree.

The most traditional field of concentration is either health services administration or public health, but you alsocan focus on health policy, health sciences, public administration, or even business administration. Some schoolseven offer a joint master's degree (i.e., business administration/public health or healthcare management/law).

Master's degree programs in this field generally last two years and include coursework in healthcare policy andlaw, marketing, organizational behavior, healthcare financing, human resources, and other healthcaremanagement topics. They also may include a supervised internship, residency, or fellowship. Some schools evenoffer a joint master's degree (i.e., business administration/public health, healthcare management/law, and publicpolicy/public health).

The American College of Healthcare Executives (http://www.ache.org/)  maintains a very useful site forstudents. Once you have earned your degree, check out their online Career Services

(http://www.ache.org/career.cfm).

 

  www.explorehealthcareers.org

Professional Associations

Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA)

(http://www.aupha.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageid=3355) 

American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) (http://www.healthmanagementcareers.org/careers.cfm)  

American Public Health Association (APHA) (http://www.explorehealthcareers.com/en/www.apha.org)  

American Hospital Association (AHA) (http://www.explorehealthcareers.com/en/www.aha.org)  

Commission on Accreditation Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)

(http://www.explorehealthcareers.com/en/www.cahme.org)  

Funding Opportunities

Search for funding opportunities in this field  (http://www.explorehealthcareers.org)

Enrichment Programs

Search for enrichment programs in this field  (http://www.explorehealthcareers.org)

Source

www.aupha.org 

Learn more about this field:

Health Administration/Management (http://www.explorehealthcareers.com/en/Field.13.aspx)  

Salary: $45,000 - $150,000

Years in school: 4 - 6 *Job outlook: Excellent

* after high school graduation

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