What does a healthcare administrator do day to day?

I'm considering going into healthcare administration after high school or college, and I'm curious about what a healthcare administrator does on a daily basis. What are their main responsibilities and challenges in this role?

A healthcare administrator, also known as a health services manager, plays an essential role in the healthcare industry. They steer the ship that is a healthcare facility. Their daily tasks and challenges differ considerably based on the size and nature of the facility they are in charge of. They can work in a variety of settings, from hospitals and nursing homes to outpatient care centers and group medical practices.

Generally, they’re responsible for supervising staff, managing budgets, setting and implementing policies, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, and even marketing services to the community.

Throughout their day, healthcare administrators are often found attending meetings with department heads and medical staff, analyzing reports and trends to optimize services, negotiating contracts with suppliers, resolving staff or patient issues, and in some cases, working with insurance companies.

One of the main challenges healthcare administrators face is to provide the best patient care while staying within budget. They have to constantly balance funding, staff resources, and patient demands to maintain efficiency and effectiveness.

Keeping up-to-date with fast-changing healthcare laws, regulations, and technology is another key responsibility. For instance, understanding and implementing electronic health records and managing their security and privacy has become a significant portion of healthcare administration in recent years.

The role of a Healthcare Administrator is complex with a blend of operations and strategic tasks. Entrance into the field generally requires at least a bachelor’s degree, while many roles prefer a master’s degree in healthcare administration or a related discipline. Those who are successful in this field generally have strong leadership qualities, analytical thinking, and excellent communication skills.

Here’s an example of a healthcare administrator's day: They might start their workday by checking emails and messages for any immediate issues that need to be addressed. Then, they might have meetings with medical staff to discuss patient care or with other administrators to discuss budgets or policy changes. Throughout the day, they might tackle various tasks such as analyzing recent patient satisfaction surveys and brainstorming ways to improve patient experience. They might end the day by reviewing and approving a new equipment purchase that is essential for one of the departments.

As you can see, each day can bring a different challenge or focus, which is part of what makes this career exciting and rewarding.