The Advantages To Earning A Health Care Administration Degree
Health care administration degree programs offer students knowledge of the quickly expanding health care and business disciplines necessary to plan, develop, and coordinate operations of health care facilities and other organizations. Health care administration degrees focus upon the economic, strategic planning, accounting, budgeting, health informatics and management aspects necessary for maximizing and optimizing the daily operations of a variety of health care businesses and facilities. Graduates who complete health care administration degree programs gain the skills necessary to train staff, modernize equipment and facilities, increase profits, and manage the financial and organizational aspects of hospitals and other medical establishments.
Many students pursue a degree in health care administration in addition to maintaining work and family responsibilities which prevent or limit access to traditional, on campus instruction. In response to the growing demand to extend instruction beyond campus locations, most colleges and universities have developed innovative online programs. Online degrees offer students virtually the same educational experiences as their traditional, on campus counterparts with the added benefits of increased flexibility in course scheduling and 24 hour access to course materials, instruction, and information. Online classes generally consist of groups of 25 students who participate in one on one interactions with other classmates and instructors through Internet chats. Many students find pursuing and completing an online degree is one of the most convenient, affordable means of expanding education vital to personal and career success.
What Students Learn Within A Health Care Administration Degree Program
Students enrolled within health care administration degree programs gain the technical skills and theoretic knowledge necessary to gain employment within the business aspects of various health care careers. Through a variety of courses, students within health care administration programs learn how to improve patient care, create and maintain budgets, manage staff, and supervise daily operations within health care facilities to maximize efficient operations and ensure the overall operations of hospitals and other organizations. Most health care administration professionals are required to obtain a minimum of a master’s degree to qualify for supervisory and administrative positions within health care facilities. Many students begin their education with an associate’s degree in health administration . Associate level courses include: the language of health care, health and diseases: understanding the pathos of pathology, patient records: keeping it real: claims preparation: clean bills of health, claims preparation: footing the bills, computerizing medical data, effective essay writing, research writing, English composition, critical and creative thinking, media and the American culture, college Algebra, introduction to biology, principles of health and wellness, cultural diversity, foundations of psychology, skills for learning in an information age, and foundations of personal finance. Graduates who complete associate degree programs may advance to entry level employment or continue studies in bachelor degree programs.
Bachelor degree courses offer students the ability to expand education gained through associate programs and gain skills necessary to qualify for employment as professionals within health care administration. Courses at a bachelor level include: English composition, introduction to biology, American history, Western civilization, leadership, standards for health care staff, health unit coordination, community health, budgeting in health care, community health, health care management, critical issues in health care, principles of marketing, principles of accounting, human resource management, health care law, business policy and strategy, financial management in health care organizations, information systems management, quantitative methods for health care, microeconomics, macroeconomics, and an internship. Students who complete bachelor degrees may advance to employment or continue to graduate degree programs.
Master’s degree programs offer students the ability to refine and specialize skills and knowledge in the field of health care administration to generally qualify for employment. Courses within a master’s program include: strategic management of health care organizations; modeling and operations research; methods and applications of health services research; management of managed care organizations; economics for policy, planning, and development; financial management of health services; economic concepts to applied health; health care venture development and finance; economic approaches to health policy analysis; best practices financial management; health information systems; quality of care concepts; financial accounting for health care organizations; management of long term care organizations, seminar in hospital administration, six sigma quality resources for health care; leadership symposium in health management and policy; managed care contracting; concepts and practices in public personnel administration; clinical issues for managers; health information technology; and health care operations improvement; information technology management systems in health care. Master’s degree graduates may advance to administrative or supervisory positions within various health care organizations and other business. Some graduates advance to doctoral degree programs to advance studies in the field.
Doctoral degree programs provide students with the training and knowledge required to be considered experts in the field. Courses at a doctorate level include: advanced research in adult human development and behavior, epistemology of practice knowledge, fundamentals of social science research, quantitative research methods in the human services, advanced qualitative research methods, advanced study in research methods, quality improvement and organizational performance in health care, operations in health care systems, managing human capital in health care environments, financial analysis in health care systems, strategic management of health care reimbursement systems, health policies analysis and strategy, health care strategic planning and management, health systems analysis and evaluation, law and health care administration, ethics and decision making in health care, and leading organizational change in health care systems. Graduates who complete doctoral degree programs often advance to employment as researchers or instructors within the field of health care administration.
Prospective Jobs For Health Care Administration Degree Graduates
Health care administration degree graduates are qualified for a number of jobs within medical and health services organizations and facilities. Graduates who complete advanced degrees, specialize studies, and gain work experience through on the job training, internships and volunteering often have an increased employability despite increased competition. Most graduates with associate’s degrees qualify for employment as medical administrative assistants, medical transcriptionists, medical records technicians, and medical secretaries. Graduates with bachelor degrees often gain employment as office managers within physician’s offices, business development associates, staff auditors for health care organizations, executive administrative assistants, and medical records specialists. Graduates who complete master’s degree programs often work as community health managers, public health managers, health service managers, directors of specific programs or services within health care facilities, health communications specialists, or health policy advocates. Graduates with doctoral degrees often work as health educators, global health administrators, public health administrators, and as researchers or instructors within universities and colleges.
Salary Range For Graduates With Health Care Administration Degrees
Graduates who complete health care administration degrees have varied earnings dependent upon economic factors, educational level, geographic location, areas of specialization, and related work experience. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports earnings for most medical and health services managers range from $62,170 to $104,120 annually. Graduates who complete associate degree programs and work as medical secretaries earn $29,680 to $36,090 annually. Graduates with bachelor degrees employed as medical records specialists generally earn $29,680 to $36,090 annually. Graduates who work as health policy advocates upon completing master’s degrees earn $38,400 to $71,670 annually. Graduates who complete doctoral degree programs earn $41,600 to $83,960 or more annually.
Career Outlook and Advancement Opportunities For Health Care Administration Degree Graduates
Graduates who complete health care administration degrees gain the business knowledge and health care experience necessary for employment within a variety of careers. The U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics expects job growth for medical and health managers to increase by 16 percent through 2018 at a faster than average rate in comparison to other professions. Employment opportunities will be best for graduates who complete advanced degrees, gain work experience through internships and on the job training, and who specialize skills within business and health care disciplines. Competition for upper level management jobs is expected to be increased due to the number of qualified applicants in relation to the number of available jobs. As the health care industry expands, technology advances, and insurance companies require more accountability, the demand for health care managers and other professionals is expected to rise.
Health care administrators and other workers will also increased employment options as hospitals and medical facilities implement new technology for managing patient records, recruit workers, and regulations change to improve the quality of health and preventative care. Graduates with health care administration degrees will find greater employment opportunities within medical group practices and other health care organizations. Health care administration degree graduates generally begin employment within entry level, associate administrator or assistant jobs and advance to positions with greater responsibilities and higher salaries. Many graduates continue education and gain work experiences necessary for advancement as department supervisors or chief executive officers and advance to larger medical facilities. Many graduates advance to their own consulting businesses upon gaining adequate training, experience, and funding.
