Beginning a career in healthcare administration is a wise choice. Get answers to all your burning questions about this highly dynamic, impactful field in this informative FAQ. Common questions from people considering a career in healthcare administration are: What is healthcare administration? How do I begin a career in healthcare administration? What do healthcare administrators do? How much can I make in healthcare administration? Keep reading to get thorough, helpful answers.

17-year old high schoolers who are considering career options and working adults who are thinking about changing careers should definitely consider a career in healthcare administration. There are so many advantages to having a degree in healthcare administration in today’s competitive job market.

What is Healthcare Administration?

Healthcare administration is a booming industry here in the US. There are many ways in which a degree in health care administration can be applied. Entry-level healthcare administration jobs and hospital administrator jobs often lead to leadership positions in hospitals, within health insurance companies, in government organizations, non-profit organizations, and more. Leaders in the healthcare administration industry work hard to promote healthy people in the communities they serve.

In addition to close involvement with healthcare providers and systems to ensure ideal patient care at all times, those in healthcare administrator jobs and hospital administrator jobs proactively promote healthy lifestyle habits that ensure rates of preventable diseases and illnesses are reduced through ad campaigns, TV advertising, billboards, and more. Healthcare management job descriptions often include working with health insurance companies, within hospital systems, and with government agencies to ensure optimal care for all patients. With a career in healthcare administration, there is plenty of opportunity for advancement as new skills are acquired and experience is gained.

What Do Healthcare Administrators Do?

Potential careers in the healthcare administration field include human resource manager, practice manager, administrative services manager, training and community development manager, health insurance specialist, nursing home manager, and more. Health administration and hospital administration jobs are highly in-demand, especially as governmental systems and regulations continue to evolve.

Starting a career in healthcare administration isn’t hard with the necessary degrees and after a few years, fast advancement is common. Achieve career goals in healthcare administration in no time with proper qualifications and a hard work ethic. Begin with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration or a related field, and then earn a master’s in healthcare administration, masters in healthcare management, or masters of science in healthcare administration.

Entry-level jobs in healthcare administration are plentiful, and there are plenty of career goals in healthcare administration to aspire to and work towards as time goes on. With a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree – masters of science in healthcare administration, masters in healthcare management, or masters of healthcare administration – you’ll be set up for complete success.

How Do I Begin a Career in Healthcare Administration?

Beginning a career in healthcare administration requires a few years of hard work and study, but the investment of time and money will be worthwhile down the road. Now is the ideal time to choose a healthcare administration career path by first getting a college degree in a related field, getting a few years of experience with entry-level jobs in healthcare administration, and then eventually getting an MHA, Masters of Health Administration, Masters in Health Management, or Masters of Science in Healthcare Administration. Whichever master’s program students choose, they will find that there are many jobs available in this industry to apply to upon graduation.

Plenty of excellent schools offer degrees in healthcare related fields and MHA programs. The only challenging part will be choosing just one to focus on to begin a career in healthcare administration. New high school graduates, recent college graduates, and seasoned professionals in other fields who switch to the healthcare administration industry won’t regret their choice to study healthcare administration. It’s a wise plan for future success in today’s competitive job market.

How Much Can I Make in Healthcare Administration?

Health administration salary amounts can vary based on location, experience level, special skills, languages spoken, and many other variables. However, here are a few statistics so you have a general idea of what to expect upon graduation in the healthcare administration field. Prospective students find these statistics comforting – healthcare administration jobs are readily available and salaries are incredibly appealing, especially as workers advance in the healthcare administration industry. Rest assured that a solid health administration salary will be one of the solid perks of working in this booming industry.

A CNN Money survey, Best Jobs in America, reported that hospital administrators had a median salary of $114,000 and a top salary of $207,000. Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that medical and health services managers had an average salary of $99,000, medical and health services managers in hospitals made an average salary of $110,840 per year. Not sure whether a healthcare administration vs. healthcare management salary would be best? These statistics seem to indicate that comparing the healthcare administration vs healthcare management salary numbers, either field will be a lucrative choice. A healthcare management degree salary and health administrative salary will be competitive in today’s market, especially as demand continues to grow throughout the US as government policies shift with the times.

A health administration starting salary in desirable in many parts of the US, especially major cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, and Houston. Hospitals, insurance companies, governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and many other sectors of the American economy rely on having highly knowledgeable, effective healthcare administrators in order to provide the best possible care for patients. Do your part to improve health outcomes by studying to be a healthcare administrator.

Ready to Get Started?

Now is an ideal time to start studying to become a healthcare administrator. Don’t delay – act now to ensure the brightest future possible in this in-demand industry with a healthcare management degree salary. It doesn’t matter whether you’ll be going to college for the first time or the second – with a degree in this field, you’ll have a health administration starting salary to be proud of.

Whether you end up working for a hospital, insurance company, nursing home, government agency, or somewhere else, you won’t regret choosing this industry. Health care administrators will always be in demand in the US as the population continues to grow and evolve. As the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement age and starts needing more medical and nursing home care, the demand for healthcare administration professionals will continue to grow in the next few decades.

Get the training needed to advance quickly in the healthcare administration field, and enjoy a comfortable starting salary in the meantime. Get an edge on the competition by starting to study now. Be a part of the movement to ensure patients have ideal healthcare systems and services after earning a degree in healthcare administration from an excellent school online or locally. Start researching healthcare administration programs and begin the application process today.

This guide is an all-in-one resource for prospective students, current students, and current professionals in the healthcare administration field to find all of the information needed to begin or to move forward in a career in healthcare administration.

In order for healthcare organizations to operate optimally, healthcare administrators lead healthcare teams to meet the outcomes and objectives of an organization in delivering quality, affordable healthcare. Beginning with accredited education, the associations, internships and career positions, social media accounts, and website resources that are available for current and future healthcare administration professionals help healthcare leaders in the delivery of these objectives.

The information in this resource guide also includes helpful links for journals and databases related to the field, information on annual conferences, and training programs for continuing and supplemental education throughout a healthcare administration career.

Accrediting Agencies and Resources for Healthcare Administration Education

Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education: The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education provides helpful links for finding programs in education that are accredited.

Association of University Programs in Health Administration: This source provides a network of colleges, universities, organizations, and membership to improve and maintain the delivery of healthcare education in both policy and management.

Center for Hospital and Healthcare Administration: The Center for Hospital and Healthcare Administration, supported by the American Hospital Association, provides an examination of the historical administration of hospital and healthcare organizations through analysis of past data and case histories.

Occupational Outlook: Medical and Health Services Managers: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report on the occupational outlook for medical and health services managers provides information on average salary, required education, and overall job projections for the field of healthcare management and administration.

Journals and Databases

Journal of Health Administration Education: The Journal of Health Administration Education is published to guide healthcare administrators in key policy issues.

The Internet Journal of Healthcare Administration: The Internet Journal of Healthcare Administration is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes articles on a variety of issues related to healthcare management.

Journal of Healthcare Management: The Journal of Healthcare Management is the official publication of the American College of Healthcare Executives with up-to-date articles and information on healthcare management.

Health Care Management Review: From case studies to research, the Health Care Management Review publishes articles related to the practical and theoretical techniques in managing healthcare organizations.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: This database can be used to identify and analyze various nationwide trends in healthcare from quality to outcomes.

Professional Healthcare Administration Credentialing and Designation Resources

Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives: This board certification can help healthcare administrators to advance in their careers.

Certified Medical Practice Executive Credential: The Certified Medical Practice Executive Credential denotes competency in the leadership and qualities a healthcare management executive needs to successfully manage a healthcare organization.

Certified Revenue Cycle Representative Program: Certification through this program designates knowledge of the revenue cycle of the healthcare industry.

Certified Technical Specialist: The Certified Technical Specialist certification includes skill-based programs in accounting and finance or managed care.

Certified Healthcare Financial Professional: The Certified Healthcare Financial Professional designation illustrates knowledge and skill in management of the financial sector of healthcare organizations.

Job Board Sources for Healthcare Administration

Healthcare Source: The Healthcare Source Jobs board includes over 31,000 from more than 2,00 employers in the healthcare industry and includes management positions.

Career Vitals: Career Vitals is a comprehensive resource to search all of the positions in healthcare posted online.

Absolutely Health Care: Absolutely Health Care has job postings, career tips, education resources, and sections to post a searchable resume.

Health eCareers:Healthcare Job Boards provides job seekers with a variety of resources in order to effectively manage job searching.

Healthcare Job Boards: Job seekers at Health eCareers have access to over 10,000 job postings, plus recruitment information and news links for careers in healthcare.

Medzilla: With postings from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical, and healthcare industries, job seekers have a variety of types of positions and organizations to apply to.

Advance Healthcare Jobs: At Advance Healthcare Jobs, a large database of job postings, advanced search options, and career advice and tips are helpful in the healthcare management job search.

Healthcare Jobs: Job resources and career information round out the helpful information on this job board site, which includes thousands of direct links to postings for positions in healthcare management.

Government Health Agencies

United States Department of Health and Human Services: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides information on healthcare and all other elements of health standards, regulations, and requirements.

Administration for Children and Families: This agency provides federal funding for the support of children through welfare programs, including health.

Agency for Health Care Research and Quality: This agency focuses on improvements in safety, effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of healthcare throughout the United States.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Through various programs and information dissemination, as well as setting standards and creating regulations, the CDC works to serve the public to prevent the spread and exposure of communicable illnesses.

Environmental Protection Agency: The Environmental Protection Agency works to protect the environment as well as human health by creating a cleaner, healthier environment.

Food and Drug Administration: Public health is protected by the Food And Drug Administration by ensuring that drugs, foods, and other consumable items are safe and effective for human and animal consumption, along with a variety of other responsibilities.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluate and maintain quality, up-to-date coverage for beneficiaries of government healthcare programs.

Health Resources and Services Administration: The role of the Health Resources and Services Administration is to work to help the uninsured and other groups without healthcare access to coverage.

National Institutes of Health: The National Institutes of Health study living systems to identify ways to improve and extend life by limiting illness and disability.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is focused on providing help for people who have or at risk to have mental disorders or issues with substance abuse.

USDA Office of Public Health and Science: Through analysis of data, the USDA Office of Public Health and Science makes recommendations that concern the Food Safety Inspection Services of the United States in regard to public health.

Professional Associations, Societies, and Organizations

Health Care Administrators Association: The Health Care Administrators Association educates, informs, and engages healthcare administration to stay ahead in the field of healthcare management.

American College of Healthcare Executives: The American College of Healthcare Executives provides a variety of information designed to help healthcare administrators to advance in their careers.

American College of Health Care Administrators: The American College of Health Care Administrators is a non-profit, professional organization for the career development and continuing education of administrators in healthcare organizations.

American Public Health Association: The American Public Health Association is a diverse organization of members made up from all areas of the public health professions.

Public Health Foundation: The Public Health Foundation works to improve the performance and quality of public healthcare with programs, resources, tools.

American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management: The American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management is a professional organization for the healthcare management field, offering several benefits and resources for members.

Healthcare Financial Management Association: The Healthcare Financial Management Association’s goal is to help organizations improve revenue performance.

National Association of Healthcare Access Management: The National Association of Healthcare Access Management has many networking events and resources to promote best practices in the field of healthcare management.

American Society for Healthcare Risk Management: The American Society for Healthcare Risk Management is focused on the advancement of practices and knowledge in patient safety.

Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management: The Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management is an affiliate organization of the American Hospital Association.

American Hospital Association: Representing different categories of healthcare organizations from hospitals to healthcare networks, the American Hospital Association disseminates information and resources to its members.

Healthcare Administration Conferences

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Annual Conference: One of the largest conferences for healthcare services in the United States, the HIMSS Annual conference focuses on how to utilize information and management systems to improve the delivery of healthcare services.

American Society for Healthcare Risk Management Conference: To help to build a safer and more secure facility for healthcare leaders, this organization’s conference focuses on various aspects of risk management.

American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration Annual Conference and Exposition: The focus of this organization and its annual conference is on the management of human resources in healthcare organizations.

Helpful and Interesting Blogs and Websites

Healing Hospitals: Maintained by Nick Jacobs, a former hospital president, this question and answer forum has useful advice and tips on leading a healthcare organization.

Life as a Healthcare CEO: Interesting discussions on the responsibilities involved in healthcare management are covered.

WakeMed Voices: Moderated by WakeMed Health & Hospitals, readers are given a look at common issues in healthcare on a national scale.

College & Research Libraries News: The Association of College & Research Libraries website includes sections on health care management resources, providing leaders of organizations with valuable, insightful information on the industry.

With these links, students and professionals in the healthcare management field have access to the sources of information, association membership, and credentialing to help secure a successful future in any healthcare organization.

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