Whether you want to advance your medical career or start out on a new path, healthcare administration is a growth sector where qualified individuals are always in demand. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health services management is expected to grow by 20 percent between now and 2026, employing a total of 424,300 administrators.
This field is one of the fastest growing occupations in the healthcare industry. Administration is a viable option for current medical professionals who are longing to steer in the direction of healthcare delivery at private or public medical facilities. It’s also a great career choice for undergraduates with degrees in areas like business administration or management.
What is Health Services Administration (HSA)?
As a health services administrator, your role is essential to the smooth functioning of your healthcare center. It’s up to you to forge good working relationships with and between everyone employed at your facility and make sure that your patients are getting the best possible treatment. You’ll coordinate health systems and patient care, set budgets and policy, and ensure that your center is operating in a transparent and professional manner. Other duties might include:
- Recruiting and hiring new medical practitioners and support staff
- Training and evaluating staff
- Chairing facility board meetings
- Procuring and allocating resources
- Acting as spokesperson and advocate for your facility, staff, and patients
HSA Education and Professional Requirements
HSAs mainly come from other areas of the healthcare industry, not necessarily just doctors or nurses. This gives them a good working knowledge of how healthcare facilities operate, and possibly some practical insight into how to improve service delivery and patient care. There’s also room for qualified applicants with management or business degrees who are interested in working in the healthcare industry as an administrator with no medical background.
Outside of a medical care setting, HSAs may find employment in under-served communities coordinating programs with social services and community health centers. There, you’ll have a rewarding future helping families and the communities they live in by improving access to wellness programs and critical care. Other possibilities include the health insurance industry working as a coverage specialist or patient advocate to ensure proper compensation for services.
Candidates may find employment with a bachelor’s degree, but most hospitals and health facilities prefer master’s degree recipients. In addition to education and professional qualifications, you’ll need skills and personality traits that include:
- Comprehensive understanding of healthcare policy, laws, and regulations
- Ability to communicate effectively with staff, patients, shareholders, and the public
- Leadership and organizational skills
- Attention to detail
- Ability to identify and resolve budgeting and staff issues
- Ability to create and implement policy decisions
- Ability to build strong relationships within the facility and the community
The Pros and Cons of a Career in Health Services Administration
There are a lot of positive features for a career in healthcare administration. It’s an equal opportunity career path that’s gender-neutral, and it has a great outlook on job and salary growth. There’s also the potential for specialization in either the public or private sectors and a high degree of job satisfaction. The prospects for employment are high.
Although health services management can be rewarding, personally and financially, it’s not without its challenges. It can be a demanding career with long hours. Because there’s such a demand for qualified candidates, competition is fierce and standards are high for applicants. The pay scale can vary widely from region to region.
Ready to Start on Your New Career Path? Consider Florida National University
If you’ve got what it takes to enter this exciting and challenging field, Florida National University (FNU) is ready to help you achieve the credentials and support your academic and profession goal to success. Since 1982, we’ve helped students just like you earn a higher education. We’re regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. We award students associate, baccalaureate, and master degrees in several subject areas, including Health Services Administration.
Our university has two campuses in the South Florida area located in Hialeah and Miami, and we’re licensed by the Commission for Independent Education of the Florida Department of Education. FNU is also approved to provide veterans training by the State of Florida, Department of Veterans Affairs and authorized to enroll qualified non-immigrant foreign exchange students under federal law.
Our Master of Health Services Administration program is designed to give candidates a high-quality education. By the time you finish our program, you’ll be ready to become a leader in the healthcare industry, and we offer all students job placement assistance upon graduation. We’ve structured our programs to accommodate graduate students who require scheduling flexibility by offering both on-site classes and an online masters degree program for students who need to telecommute due to geographic considerations or work and family obligations.
Financial Aid and Admissions Information
As a fully accredited institute of higher learning, Florida National University is qualified to provide access to federal student loan and financial aid programs, scholarships, and honor tuition incentives for those with previous coursework, military training, or other qualifying training and education. Depending on your program, financing is available for programs at both of our campuses and to distance learning students.
If you’re ready to open the doors to your future, contact FNU to request an appointment with an admissions representative. Your enrollment specialist can provide you with more details about testing, financial aid, and program requirements. To begin the enrollment process, create an account and apply here. You can also use this interface to monitor the status of your application.
