What Kind of Healthcare Administration Jobs Can You Pursue?

As the healthcare industry continues to grow, so does the need for professionals with the right skill sets, allowing them to work at the intersection of medical services and business. Healthcare administrators focus on this critical area, finding ways to make health services more efficient while also improving patient care and outcomes.

It’s a challenging but rewarding job. It’s also growing quickly. Federal projections call for an astonishing 32% growth in healthcare administration jobs by 2029. For those who aspire to reach leadership positions and want a career where their work can improve the wellbeing of others, earning a Master in Healthcare Administration (MHA) is a big step toward realizing their career goals.

What is Healthcare Administration?

The phrase “healthcare administration” covers many types of jobs. Anyone who leads a healthcare organization – hospitals, nursing homes, community clinics, etc. – is considered a healthcare administrator. They also lead departments within large organizations.

In all cases, those in healthcare administration look to improve operational efficiency while also enhancing patient care. They develop goals for departments and facilities, oversee personnel, ensure a medical facility complies with industry and government regulations, develop budgets, and, in some cases, report directly to a board of directors.

Why Are Healthcare Administration Jobs Important?

The cost and quality of patient care are the two most important factors in the field of healthcare. Administrators deal directly with both. Because of the complexity of healthcare finance and medical service delivery, administrators need specific knowledge and skills to succeed.

A graduate program in hospital administration helps train those skills. For example, students in the Touro University Worldwide MHA program take courses that prepare them for the professional challenges they will face. Some courses the students will complete include:

  • Organizational Theory and Behavior
  • U.S. Healthcare Systems
  • Ethical and Legal Implications for Healthcare Administration
  • Health Information Systems
  • Public and Economic Policy for Healthcare Administration
  • Financial Management for Healthcare Administration

Professionals leave the program prepared to lead and excel in healthcare administration jobs. After the completion of the program, there are various choices for any healthcare professional as to where and how to apply their expertise.

Choosing a Career in Healthcare Administration

Each graduate must determine their skills and interests when deciding which direction to take in their healthcare career. They have many choices. Some of the most popular healthcare administrator jobs include the following. Salaries indicated below come from  PayScale.com.

Nursing home managers oversee finances, staff, admissions, and care of residents in a nursing home. ($55,481)
Inpatient or outpatient mental health facility managers specialize in overseeing medical operations that serve patients with mental health issues. ($50,720)
Hospital administrators, managers, or CEOs work in the job perhaps most associated with healthcare administration. They oversee large and complex hospital operations and staff and ensure regulatory compliance and managing a budget. ($87,400)
Laboratory managers oversee operations at testing labs, including pharmaceutical labs and forensic facilities. ($70,673)
Healthcare consultants conduct research for clients, identifying areas where problems may arise and develop solutions. ($78,293)

Whatever specific career graduate students decide to pursue, a wealth of opportunity is available for them. While the job is challenging, becoming a healthcare administrator offers many rewards, including occupational stability, strong salaries, and the knowledge that what you do directly impact how medical services are delivered.

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