If you are interested in helping others in the healthcare sector but do not want direct clinical contact with patients, the good news is that you have options. One of those options is health services administration. As a health services administrator, you work behind the scenes of medical facilities, ensuring they run smoothly, comply with HIPAA and other medical guidelines, and manage clinical and non-clinical staff. This article will offer an introduction to health services administration. Let us begin by answering the question: What is health services administration?
What is Health Services Administration?
Health services administration combines healthcare, business management, and policy to deliver quality healthcare services.
What Does a Health Services Administrator Do?
A health services administrator is responsible for managing the healthcare facilities and organizations’ daily operations and overall performance. They ensure that healthcare services are delivered efficiently, meet regulatory requirements, and provide high-quality care to patients. Below is an overview of their key responsibilities:
Management and Leadership
Effective management is at the core of health services administration. The health services administrator sets the organization’s goals and creates long-term strategic plans to achieve them. Leaders in this field are responsible for the following:
Strategic Planning: Set long-term goals and objectives for healthcare facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, or public health organizations to ensure they meet the needs of patients and stakeholders.
Operations Management: Oversee daily operations to ensure smooth functioning. Health services administrators are in charge of patient care coordination. They also coordinate schedules for medical staff, administrative personnel, and support teams to ensure smooth workflows. They monitor and properly allocate resources, including equipment, facilities, and personnel. They analyze healthcare trends and use data to make informed decisions about service expansion, technology adoption, or resource allocation.
Team Leadership and Staff Development: Recruit, hire, train, supervise, and evaluate healthcare staff, including medical, administrative, and support personnel. They are responsible for creating a positive work environment and addressing employee concerns to maintain high morale. They also implement professional development programs to update staff on industry advancements and best practices.
Organization Liaison: Represent the organization in meetings, conferences, and community events.
Crisis Management: Address unexpected challenges, like pandemics, natural disasters, or operational issues.
Policy and Compliance
Healthcare administrators make sure their organization adheres to healthcare laws, regulations, accreditation requirements, and ethical standards. Their responsibilities include:
Regulatory Compliance: Understand, stay informed about updates, and implement federal, state, and local healthcare laws, such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards. They also conduct audits and prepare reports demonstrating compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines.
Ethical Oversight: Ensure ethical decision-making in patient care and organizational policies.
Policy Development: Craft policies to improve patient safety, staff conduct, and operational efficiency.
Quality Assurance: Establish and monitor benchmarks to maintain high standards of care.
Healthcare Systems and Coordination
Understanding the structure of healthcare systems and facilitating collaboration is essential for system integration, interdepartmental coordination, stakeholder engagement, and cultural competency. Health services administrators are in charge of the following:
Relationship Management: Manage relationships between hospitals, clinics, community health centers, and specialized facilities by ensuring communication and collaboration among clinical, financial, and administrative teams.
Ensure Quality Healthcare: Work with patients, families, healthcare providers, insurance companies, and government agencies to ensure quality healthcare.
Finance and Budgeting
Financial management is crucial for healthcare facilities. The health services administrator manages budgets and financial operations to control costs and allocate resources properly. They are in charge of the following:
Budget Planning: Create and manage budgets to allocate resources effectively across departments. They also develop financial strategies to increase profitability.
Revenue Cycle Management: Oversee billing, coding, and reimbursement processes to ensure accurate and timely payments from patients and insurance companies.
Cost Control: Identify ways to reduce unnecessary expenses while offering quality care.
Financial Reporting: Prepare detailed financial reports to guide decision-making and maintain transparency.
Fundraising: Seek and secure funding through grants or donations to support operations and growth.
Patient Care Improvement
Healthcare administrators play a direct role in improving the quality and safety of patient care and developing and implementing strategies to improve patient satisfaction. This is achieved through the following:
Performance Metrics: Monitor performance metrics such as patient outcomes, readmission rates, and satisfaction surveys. Health services administrators also use data analytics to measure and improve outcomes, like patient satisfaction, recovery rates, and treatment efficacy.
Technology Integration: Implement and manage health information systems (HIS) and electronic health records (EHRs) to improve care coordination.
Patient Safety Initiatives: Collaborate with medical staff to create strategies to minimize medical errors as well as develop and enhance care and safety protocols.
Access to care: Identify and address barriers to care, such as socioeconomic challenges, transportation, or insurance coverage.
Community and Public Health
Healthcare administrators often contribute to improving the health of communities through the following:
Outreach Programs: Develop initiatives to educate the public about health issues and preventive care.
Disease Prevention: Collaborate with public health officials to manage epidemics and promote vaccination programs.
Equity in Healthcare: Address disparities in access to care and advocate for underserved populations.
Partnership Building: Work with non-profit organizations, schools, and community leaders to promote health and wellness.
What is the Difference Between Healthcare Management & Healthcare Administration?
Healthcare Management and Healthcare Administration are closely related fields within the healthcare industry, but they differ in focus, responsibilities, and scope. Understanding these differences can help you choose the right career path or degree program.
Focus and Scope
Healthcare Management focuses on the business side of healthcare organizations. They are involved in strategic planning, financial management, and overall leadership to ensure the organization meets its goals. Healthcare management is often broader in scope than health administration, dealing with high-level decision-making, such as mergers, acquisitions, and long-term strategy.
Healthcare Administration focuses on the day-to-day operations within healthcare facilities. They supervise staff, manage patient care services, and ensure operational efficiency. They typically have a narrower role, focusing on individual departments or specific facilities rather than the entire organization.
Responsibilities
Healthcare Managers develop organizational policies and long-term strategies, oversee financial performance, including budgeting and revenue generation, handle public relations and partnerships with other organizations, and monitor healthcare trends to adapt organizational goals. Examples of healthcare management job titles may include CEO, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and Healthcare Project Manager.
Healthcare Administrators supervise all facility staff, including scheduling and performance evaluations, and ensure compliance with regulations and standards. They manage patient records, implement technology solutions like EHRs (Electronic Health Records), and handle specific operational tasks, such as coordinating between departments. Job titles of healthcare administrators may include hospital administrator, department manager, and clinic administrator.
Career Settings
Healthcare Managers often work in corporate settings, such as large healthcare systems, insurance companies, or consulting firms, and are responsible for overseeing multiple facilities or creating system-wide policies.
Healthcare Administrators primarily work in facility-based settings, such as hospitals, clinics, or long-term care facilities, and focus on managing the efficiency of a single department or facility.
How Do You Become a Health Services Administrator?
To become a Health Services Administrator, you will need to obtain the necessary education, skills, and experience to manage healthcare facilities.
What is a Health Services Administration Degree Program?
A Health Services Administration (HSA) Degree Program prepares you for careers in managing, coordinating, and leading operations in the healthcare industry. It combines knowledge of healthcare systems with business and management skills so you can handle the complexities of healthcare organizations. Key components of a Health Services Administration Degree Program include:
Healthcare Knowledge: An introduction to the structure and functioning of healthcare systems. Topics include healthcare delivery models, patient care management, and public health principles.
Management and Leadership Skills: Courses focus on organizational behavior, leadership strategies, and decision-making. They also emphasize managing staff, departments, and operations within a healthcare setting.
Finance and Budgeting: A course that includes training in healthcare economics, financial management, and budgeting. It also offers an understanding of cost control, billing, and reimbursement processes.
Healthcare Policy and Law: A course that offers insights into healthcare regulations, ethics, and compliance. You will also study laws like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).
Information Systems and Technology: This course focuses on education on health information systems (HIS), electronic health records (EHRs), and data security. It prepares you to use technology to streamline operations and improve patient outcomes.
Quality and Performance Improvement: Focuses on strategies to enhance healthcare quality, safety, and efficiency. It also teaches methods for measuring and improving patient satisfaction and operational performance.
What Degrees Does Florida National University Offer?
Florida National University (FNU) offers associate and bachelor’s degree programs that help prepare you for the role of health services administrator.
Associate Degree in Health Services Administration
The associate degree program introduces you to foundational knowledge and skills needed for entry-level positions in healthcare administration. It is ideal if you want to enter the workforce quickly while building a foundation for further education. Core courses include medical terminology, principles of healthcare management, health information systems, and basic financial and organizational concepts in healthcare. The primary goal of the associate degree program is to prepare you for roles like medical office manager, patient coordinator, or healthcare billing specialist. Also, it provides a stepping-stone to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Bachelor’s Degree in Health Services Administration
This bachelor’s degree program provides an in-depth understanding of the healthcare system, focusing on management, policy, and leadership. It prepares you for mid-level to senior roles in the healthcare industry. Core courses include healthcare ethics and law, financial management in healthcare, organizational behavior in healthcare, healthcare policy and strategic planning, epidemiology, and public health. The goals of the bachelor’s degree program include equipping you with advanced knowledge of healthcare operations, policies, and financial management.
Why Choose FNU for an HSA Associate or Bachelor’s Degree?
When selecting the right health service administration program in Miami, you want to look for the following attributes. All attributes that FNU offers. Here is why FNU stands out:
Comprehensive Academic Programs
FNU provides both Associate and Bachelor’s degrees in Health Services Administration, catering to students at different stages of their educational and professional journey:
Experienced Faculty
FNU’s instructors are experienced and have industry expertise. They bring real-world knowledge into the classroom, providing insights into the latest trends and challenges in healthcare administration.
Accreditation and Quality
Florida National University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This accreditation allows FNU to award associate, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees, ensuring that the HSA programs meet high standards of quality and rigor.
Located in Miami
FNU offers you access to a thriving healthcare industry. Miami is home to numerous hospitals, clinics, and public health organizations, offering many opportunities for internships and employment.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know more about the Health Services Administration degrees at Florida National University, you can decide which one is right for you.
The Associate Degree in Health Services Administration is designed for students planning to pursue a higher-level degree in health services administration and to equip students with skills needed for entry-level supervisory positions in the health services field. It offers key introductory courses in health services administration and also includes a thirty-nine credit-hour component of general education/liberal arts courses.
The Bachelor’s Degree in Health Services Administration provides students with a broad view of today’s Healthcare System. The program provides the professional skills needed for administrative positions throughout the Healthcare Industry. In addition, the program prepares its graduates for admission into graduate-level studies in the Healthcare system.
If you are interested in being a Health Services Administrator, let Florida National University answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to learn more about our Health Services Administration programs.
