What does a Hospital Administrator do?
The Hospital Administrator serves in a leadership role to ensure the hospital provides the necessary services for patients while supporting the facility’s values, maintaining financial stability and remaining in compliance with all regulations. They serve as liaisons for many different groups, including staff, patients and governing boards, which means they need to balance the interests and needs of those groups. They stay current on changes in the healthcare field and manage how those changes are implemented in their hospital. Hospital Administrators work in healthcare facilities of all sizes with varying numbers of staff members. Larger facilities often have a team of Hospital Administrators instead of a single person in charge of everything. Each Administrator might specialize in a certain part of the operations, such as governmental compliance, finances or patient advocacy.
Hospital Administrator skills and qualifications
To be successful, a Hospital Administrator needs a set of skills and qualifications to satisfy the job prerequisites. For Hospital Administrator careers, some of those skills include:
- Ability to react calmly in emergency situations and routinely work in a fast-paced environment
- Strong organizational and coordination skills to balance multiple priorities
- Interpersonal skills to effectively interact with different stakeholders and manage staff
- Problem-solving skills
- Understanding of how healthcare facilities work, medical terminology, HIPAA standards and other relevant medical knowledge
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to think strategically and make decisions for the future
- Comfort with various software programs, medical technology and finances
Hospital Administrator experience requirements
Hospital Administrators need extensive experience in the healthcare industry to understand how hospitals and similar facilities work. Many facilities require at least two to five years of relevant experience. Previous leadership and administrative duties can also be beneficial and might be an experience requirement in your Health Administrator job description.
Hospital Administrator education and training requirements
The minimum education for a Hospital Administrator job is a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration or a similar field. However, most facilities prefer or require at least a master’s degree in a related field. While certification isn’t required, Hospital Administrators can earn extra credentials, such as Board Certification in Healthcare Management through the American College of Healthcare Executives. Some certifications focus on a particular area, such as the Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management credential through the American Hospital Association or the Certified Healthcare Financial Professional designation through the Healthcare Financial Management Association. These designations show competence in different aspects of healthcare administration.
Job description samples for similar positions
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Hospital Administrator job description FAQs
What qualities make a good Hospital Administrator?
A good Hospital Administrator balances a strategic vision for the organization with the needs of patients and staff members. They thrive in fast-paced environments and know how to respond to new situations. Hospital Administrators enjoy staying current in the medical field and embrace the idea of change and incorporating the latest in healthcare technology. Strong communication and people skills are a must since Hospital Administrators interact with various groups. They need to have good bedside manner when interacting with patients, empathize with staff members who need support, and communicate clearly with board members and senior management.
What should you look for in a Hospital Administrator resume?
A strong Hospital Administrator candidate has extensive healthcare experience in similar healthcare settings. Look for listed skills such as CPT coding or ICD to show that they understand medical care. Previous leadership or management experience on the resume shows that they know how to lead a team or organization. If you’re hiring a Hospital Administrator for a specific focus, such as finances or compliance, check for experience or training in that area, ideally within a healthcare setting.
How can you make your Hospital Administrator job description stand out?
Customizing your Hospital Administrator job description to describe your facility and the role within your organization helps candidates determine if it’s a good match. Let candidates know if they’re the sole Hospital Administrator of if they’ll work as part of a team of Administrators. If the role focuses on a specific area, such as patient advocacy or finances, specify that in the job description. Incorporate details about the facility’s core values and company culture to help candidates envision themselves there.
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