With the healthcare industry booming and the need for quality healthcare providers and healthcare facilities increasing steadily, healthcare administration is a promising career field to get into. Like any successful business, both hospitals and private care facilities need experienced managers to ensure patients are taken care of properly. Getting your healthcare administration degree online affords you the flexibility to work full-time while you take classes from the comfort of your own home.
Healthcare administrator students will take classes in leadership and ethics, healthcare policy, finance for healthcare, organizational management within various fields in the healthcare industry, including dental, eye care, primary care health, gerontology, and child care. After graduation, you will have a deep understanding in financial management for businesses, medical indexing and coding, healthcare informatics, health insurance, legal and ethical issues surrounding patient care, facilities management, and how to hire and evaluate employees. Healthcare administrators handle all of the budget, staffing, and policy implementation procedures for entire healthcare facilities.
A bachelor’s degree will prepare you for entry-level administrator and management positions, while a master’s will qualify you to work in senior-level positions. There is typically no clinical practice needed to begin work. Healthcare administrators often find work in hospitals, nursing and residential care, outpatient care facilities, ambulatory care and medical and diagnostic laboratories. For work at some healthcare facilities, like a nursing home for example, you will have to obtain a license and pass an exam in order to qualify for work. You will also be required to take continuing education courses to periodically maintain your license.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 23 percent rise in healthcare administrator jobs in the nation for the next ten years. Average salary is around $85,000 to $90,000, and typically offer great retirement and benefits packages. Healthcare facilities are needed in every city, so the job outlook is very positive. Earning a degree in healthcare administration online will give you the business skills and real-world experience to successfully bring a high-level of care to all of your patients.
Become a Healthcare Administrator by Obtaining Your Degree Online | Peterson’s Online Schools