Health Administrator Interview Questions

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What qualities, traits and skills distinguish you from other health administrators? See answer
As a health administrator, how will you communicate with various departments in hospitals when an issue occurs? See answer
When you are piled up with work and need to meet deadlines, how will you handle the situation? See answer
How will you go about implementing changes that occur in some health regulations to the organization? See answer
How will you handle coordinating daily operations when you are short on staff? See answer
What would you say are some of the most common health ailments in the local area? What initiatives would you enact to promote healthy choices and facility offerings? See answer
What would you do to enforce budgets across departments? Have you ever experienced departments going over their allotted budget?
What is the largest number of employers you’ve overseen or the largest healthcare facility you’ve worked for?
In your opinion, what is the role of ethics in a health administrator position? What examples can you provide from your previous experience?
Do you have experience maintaining relationships with medical supply and equipment vendors?
What do you do to ensure your facility has up-to-date medical procedures and equipment? Can you provide me with an example?
You’ve discovered that one physician has multiple complaints from patients. How do you handle the situation?
What practices do you use to evaluate your hiring needs and ensure your facility has talented medical professionals?
Have you ever advocated for funding from board members or government organizations? If so, what was your reasoning and how did you build your case?
What types of data software or digital filing systems have you used to save and store patient records?

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6 Health Administrator Interview Questions and Answers

Q:

What qualities, traits and skills distinguish you from other health administrators?

A:

The candidate will likely have an impressive resume for this position; not only are you trying to verify their qualifications, but you also want to hire the one who can offer the best fit for your organization. With this question, you will gain more insight into the interviewee’s experience and determine how those distinctions will work for your organization. A candidate may reveal their values and priorities, so you can assess whether those values match those of your hospital or facility.

What to look for in an answer:

Ability to meet tight deadlines
Desire to always maintain a tight operation
Ability to handle unforeseen and critical situations

Example:

“Sometimes, unexpected situations occur in medical institutions, and I am able to keep a cool head and address problems in order of urgency. These skills are crucial for time-sensitive projects, unforeseen issues and emergencies.”

Q:

As a health administrator, how will you communicate with various departments in hospitals when an issue occurs?

A:

Health administrators must be able to communicate their findings among various departments, especially when there are pressing issues. The different departments can range from sanitation to the hospital board. This professional must be efficient when it comes to giving timely reports via emails to department heads and at meetings and when visiting different areas of the facility. The health administrator must also communicate clearly and directly.

What to look for in an answer:

Clear plan for handling complicated situations
Ability to display the cost modification required efficiently
Sound understanding of applying and explaining an analysis

Example:

“First, I would check my reports and analysis. Then, I would attend to the highest priority first and report to the department. I would keep a written record of all communications so that I can clarify if a misunderstanding arises or documentation is needed to defend against a malpractice claim.”

Q:

When you are piled up with work and need to meet deadlines, how will you handle the situation?

A:

When it comes to medical centers and hospitals, you want more from a health administrator than just to keep the operation afloat day by day. You want to determine whether this person can handle various situations efficiently when they have a ton of work to do and tight deadlines to meet simultaneously. Let the candidate know that this task will be expected of them at their new position.

What to look for in an answer:

Ability to organize the work from most crucial to least
Plan to designate responsibility
Willingness to work hard to meet each deadline

Example:

“I will organize the work from most important to the least important and work out the responsibility with some help.”

Q:

How will you go about implementing changes that occur in some health regulations to the organization?

A:

Health regulations often change, and these regulations can be intensified in medical organizations. Implementing change management skills is especially imperative when it comes to hospitals or other huge medical centers. Change management skills may include transitioning teams, individuals and organizations by redirecting business processes, budget allocations, resources and other aspects of the facility as needed.

What to look for in an answer:

Ability to handle problems between departments
Devotion to helping employees with changes
Dedication to keeping the business afloat during changes

Example:

“I will communicate with each member of staff why these regulations occur and how to deal with the changes. If the transition requires a team to work together to meet new regulations, I will reassure and comfort them throughout the process to ensure compliance with all necessary changes.

Q:

How will you handle coordinating daily operations when you are short on staff?

A:

All businesses with employees run the risk of being short on staff, and this is very likely to happen in the medical field with regular shortages of nurses and specialists. This situation can be very intense and disorderly for medical organizations that run at a fast pace. An experienced, top-notch health administrator should have some insight into how to handle the situation at your facility.

What to look for in an answer:

Commitment to staying calm
Strong organization skills
Desire to form trusting relationships with employees

Example:

“I would advise all members of staff to pace themselves while handling patients one by one. When patients are checked in and so forth, I would make staff calls to schedule additional employees.”

Q:

What would you say are some of the most common health ailments in the local area? What initiatives would you enact to promote healthy choices and facility offerings?

A:

Health administrators have a responsibility to anticipate health needs in the area surrounding their facility to best serve local citizens. This question allows interviewers to gauge a candidate's knowledge of common conditions or illnesses in the area. It also allows interviewers to learn more about a candidate's outreach and marketing efforts to connect their facility with members of the local population.

A candidate's answer should emphasize:

Ability to engage with the public
Commitment to local health research
Motivation to create health programs as a part of facility operations

Here is one example of a quality candidate answer:

Example:

"After reading a few local public health reports, it seems like there's an uptrend in type 2 diabetes and also childhood obesity rates. To spread awareness about these trends, methods for prevention and methods for maintaining healthy living practices, I would collaborate with local marketing professionals, public health experts or youth programs. My goal would be to generate interest in healthy eating choices and daily exercise."

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