Most people never get a good idea of what goes on in a hospital. Their view is confined to an emergency room visit or a doctor's visit. What they don't see is a small army of people comprised of nurses, doctors, janitors, maintenance, accountants, security, etc. That doesn't include all the patients and visitors. All of these people have a purpose. There are things they need to get done. The poor soul who is responsible for keeping all the pieces working together without killing one another is the hospital administrator.
The goal of hospital administration is to not only coordinate space, resources and scheduling of different departments, but to also keep an eye on the overall business administration of the entire complex. It’s all about organization, efficiency, and controlling chaos. Unlike most other businesses, running a hospital involves constantly being exposed to emergencies and life or death situations. It creates a sense of urgency that few other jobs can match.
Most administrators have a Masters of Business Administration degree with a specialty in Healthcare. Although, there is a new Master of Healthcare Administration that is gaining some market share. The MBA focuses a bit more on the management and business aspects, while the MHA caters more toward overall healthcare policy. Either of these degrees, combined with years of experience, prepare the director for the responsibilities of the job.
As if the job wasn't hard enough, it is a huge management challenge. The emotionally charged environment can be dynamic to say the least. Hundreds of passionate people are working hard to meet the needs of their patients. While doing so they are competing for finite resources under crushing urgency. It takes strong leadership to succeed.
The main tool a hospital administrator uses to carry out his will is drafting and implementing policy. Policy falls somewhere between a rulebook and a mission statement. It creates a game plan for how the various departments should operate. The primary focus of good policy promotes the care of the hospital, the staff and the patients.
The life of a hospital administrator can be an exciting and a stressful one, but ultimately rewarding. After all, it is the business of caring for the health of others. Beyond that, the position becomes just like any other life or death, high end management position. Every day is filled with a delicate balance of implementing and refining policy, adapting to business needs, dealing with staffing issues, and trying to move the organization’s goals forward.
Resources:
Business Administration Salary
Health Administration Salary
The goal of hospital administration is to not only coordinate space, resources and scheduling of different departments, but to also keep an eye on the overall business administration of the entire complex. It’s all about organization, efficiency, and controlling chaos. Unlike most other businesses, running a hospital involves constantly being exposed to emergencies and life or death situations. It creates a sense of urgency that few other jobs can match.
Most administrators have a Masters of Business Administration degree with a specialty in Healthcare. Although, there is a new Master of Healthcare Administration that is gaining some market share. The MBA focuses a bit more on the management and business aspects, while the MHA caters more toward overall healthcare policy. Either of these degrees, combined with years of experience, prepare the director for the responsibilities of the job.
As if the job wasn't hard enough, it is a huge management challenge. The emotionally charged environment can be dynamic to say the least. Hundreds of passionate people are working hard to meet the needs of their patients. While doing so they are competing for finite resources under crushing urgency. It takes strong leadership to succeed.
The main tool a hospital administrator uses to carry out his will is drafting and implementing policy. Policy falls somewhere between a rulebook and a mission statement. It creates a game plan for how the various departments should operate. The primary focus of good policy promotes the care of the hospital, the staff and the patients.
The life of a hospital administrator can be an exciting and a stressful one, but ultimately rewarding. After all, it is the business of caring for the health of others. Beyond that, the position becomes just like any other life or death, high end management position. Every day is filled with a delicate balance of implementing and refining policy, adapting to business needs, dealing with staffing issues, and trying to move the organization’s goals forward.
Resources:
Business Administration Salary
Health Administration Salary