Hospitals and healthcare systems are highly complex, with many processes, organizational structures, and hierarchies in place, and healthcare administrators are central to most of them.
Healthcare administrators are essential personnel working in healthcare practices. They’re indispensable to hospitals and help improve their efficiency, management, and overall functioning. Here are some of the most important tasks healthcare administrators perform:
They’re in charge of day-to-day operations and tasks
In hospitals, healthcare administrators are typically responsible for various tasks that fall under day-to-day operations, including planning, coordinating between their teams and departments, ensuring that there are no delays or hurdles to work, dealing with insurance providers and pharmaceutical partners, and more. Their jobs also entail maintaining ethical and regulatory standards, such as HIPAA compliance, and tracking the safe exchange of patient health and financial information among relevant stakeholders.
They oversee and manage hospital finances
A key aspect of obtaining a Healthcare Administration degree online is learning how hospital finances work and their complex requirements. Healthcare administrators deal with patient billing and insurance claims, funding from donors, expenditure on equipment, and general business requirements, in addition to minimizing losses. Their job is difficult and requires them to strike a balance between generating profits for the hospital and providing accessible, quality care.
They improve human and other resource allocation
Healthcare administrators in hospitals can also function as managers for human resources and general resources. They’re often involved in recruiting, hiring, and training staff members, including medical and non-medical staff, supervising teams and departments, and resolving conflicts. They also ensure that all available resources are allocated properly and used efficiently to avoid waste or losing out on valuable funds and amenities. From cleaning supplies to medication and tools, there are several resources that healthcare administrators are responsible for.
They set goals, outcomes, and structure and handle patient care
Like leadership positions in other industries, healthcare administrators provide hospitals or their specific departments with goals and outcomes they need to achieve. This helps track success and progress within the hospital system, considering it ultimately needs to fulfill expectations set by investors, donors, executives, and other stakeholders. They do this by ensuring that schedules and organizational structure are efficient and working well, having the authority to rearrange them as needed.
Lastly, another key reason healthcare administrators are so important to hospitals is that they ensure that the quality of patient care is maintained. They help optimize service quality and efficiency, with the end goal of serving patients better.
The role of a healthcare administrator is indispensable to various setups, including hospitals, nursing homes, rehab facilities, and more. Getting a Healthcare Administration degree online can prepare you for the roles, responsibilities, and challenges included in this career.
We offer both an online Bachelor’s Degree and an Associate’s Degree in Healthcare Administration.
Speak to our team members before enrolling and learn about the opportunities we provide to interested individuals to help them explore this lucrative career path!