When I think of the medical field, I think of doctors, nurses, surgeons, and physical therapists. While I think of medical professionals who are interacting with patients, I never think about the medical professionals who are behind the scenes. That is the field of medical administration. Medical administration is defined as, “the roles within the healthcare industry that are primarily responsible for the efficient administrative operations of a medical facility (learn.org).” I was wondering what kind of degree you needed to work in medical administration, so I did some research to find out more about this field, its requirements, and how one can get here.
Medical administrators combine knowledge from a variety of fields, including healthcare, business administration, and human resources in order to execute tasks within the healthcare facility. Being a medical administrator requires some knowledge of government policies as well, as this field requires knowledge of HIPPA and other laws. It is the responsibility of the medical administrator to ensure HIPPA laws are followed appropriately. It is important for medical administrators to have knowledge of patient care and existing frameworks within the healthcare industry. In order to meet these challenging requirements, higher education is necessary.
Medical administrators are able to work with an Associate’s degree, although they typically have a Bachelor’s or Master’s. Degree options include:
- Associate of Science in Medical Assisting
- Associate of Science in Medical Administration
- Associate in Health Information Technology
- Bachelor of Science in Health Information Systems
- Bachelor of Science or Master in Health Administration
- Master of Health Systems Management
Degrees in healthcare management teach both business and healthcare knowledge that is necessary for typical duties, including daily operations, budgeting, and interpersonal communication. These degrees also prepare individuals for providing person-focused care and leading teams. Most employers prefer a candidate with some experience in healthcare settings, although this is not necessarily required. The American Health Information Management Association offers certifications in specialized areas, such as patient record management.
The field of medical administration offers a variety of careers. Common positions include medical coders, patient records managers, and billing and insurance specialists. Some healthcare facilities have broader positions, wherein one medical administrator is responsible for of all the above tasks or is responsible for overseeing a team of people that carry out these tasks. Depending on the size of the facility and the positions within, the responsibilities of a medical administrator can vary. However, common responsibilities one can expect to have include making decisions for the healthcare facility, working with policy and budgets, creating work schedules for staff, managing finances, training staff, managing patient fees and billing, communicating with physicians and nurses, monitoring budgets and spending, ordering supplies, and ensuring confidentiality laws are adhered to.
Medical administrators can work in a variety of organizations. As mentioned above, some administrators are responsible for all the tasks, while others may have a more specific role within a department, especially if the facility is large. Most commonly, they work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, and long-term care facilities such as rehabilitation or nursing homes. They can also work in surgical offices, physical therapy facilities, retirement communities, and assisted living facilities.
There are several important skills one should have in order to succeed in this field. Business administration skills help the medical administrator to be financially responsible and make the best financial decisions for the healthcare facility. This can come into play in terms of how many staff are hired, which supplies to order, making budgets, etc. It is important for an administrator to be organized, especially if they work in a large facility with many staff members and a high volume of patients. Effective communication is vital, as most administrators will communicate with patients, physicians and nurses, and other administrators multiple times throughout the day. Having a strong understanding of patient care can be very helpful, not only to understand the decisions made by physicians and nurses but also to help patients feel comfortable and supported.
Overall, the field of medical administration has many amazing positions and makes a great career path for those who are interested in and enjoy healthcare, but who also enjoy financial and administrative roles.
References
“How to Become a Healthcare Administrator.” Healthcare Administration Career Guide, Western Governors University, 17 Sept. 2021, https://www.wgu.edu/career-guide/healthcare/healthcare-admin-career.html#openSubscriberModal.
“What Is Medical Administration?” Education and Career FAQs, Learn.org, https://learn.org/articles/What_is_Medical_Administration.html.
