The Health Administration Project

Health Administration Guide

Although it’s not the most comforting thought when you’re checking in to the hospital, health care is a business. And just like any other business, hospitals and other health facilities need competent leaders to manage the resources, systems and procedures to keep it running smoothly. Health administrators, also known as health care administrators and health care executives, are responsible for the planning and proper implementation of health care. They work in diverse environments from public health agencies to hospitals and clinics, nursing homes, and insurance companies.

According to The Princeton Review Online, most Health Administration curriculum involve a combination of a liberal arts background and business management with the practical skills necessary to plan and deliver health services. The job further demands knowledge of financial reasoning, personnel management, epidemiology, and the ability to navigate the complex world of health laws.

History of Health Administration

Prior to the twentieth century, hospitals were not nearly as organized and efficient as they are today. Health care administration got its start in the 1920s with the foundation of the American Conference on Hospital Service. The organization was founded to improve hospitals and care facilities. This marked the first step in organized health care.

In the following decade, a growing number of hospitals joined the American Hospital Association (AHA). Hospitals began to store medical records. Management of these medical records created a need for early Health Administrators as hospitals became more organized and business-like.

By the 1940s, companies offered health insurance, making hospital care more affordable for many Americans. At the same time, the Commission on Hospital Care was established to evaluate hospitals. Meanwhile, the AHA created the Council on Prepayment Plans and Hospital Reimbursement. It outlined guidelines for hospital administrators. Then, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations formed in the 1950s to supervise quality standards of hospitals and care facilities. These guidelines were updated in the 1960s.

Early in the next decade, the Professional Standards Review Organization was created to ensure quality health care.
Congress got involved in health administration in the 1990s, introducing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Balanced Budget Act in 1997. Additionally, the Hospital Quality Alliance formed. The HQA was created to manage data and revise the Patient’s Bill of Rights.

Top Health Administration Programs

The Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) is an excellent online resource for finding quality Health Administration programs. AUPHA is a nonprofit global network composed of universities, faculty, organizations, and health care professionals devoted specifically to promoting excellence in healthcare management education.

While a masters degree is the standard credential for the position, Health Administrators are educated at many different levels. Accredited programs exist at the baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral levels. Health Administration programs are accredited by the Committee on Education of Healthcare Management Education, which designates the best programs as high-quality based on whether a college or university teaches appropriate academic content and includes membership in a professional network.

One of the best Health Administration programs is at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle. This accredited program prides itself in developing leaders who are prepared to strategically and effectively transform health care organizations and systems. Students will learn technical and conceptual leadership skills that they can apply to many roles within health care.

Another top Health Administration program is the University of California (Berkeley School of Public Health). UC Berkeley takes a broad-based ecological perspective on health in which research focuses on the interaction of behavioral, biological, and environmental factors in a person’s health. UC Berkeley is a famed research university exceptionally known for its high quality graduate programs.

Additionally, there are several online degrees in Health Administration available. You can obtain an associate, bachelor, or masters degree. The associate degree focuses on the role of health workers in health care, while the bachelor program program addresses management, finance, accounting and human resources. You will choose to focus on either health information systems or long-term care. The master program prepares future Health Administrators with specializations available in gerontology, health care education and informatics.

Common courses you take for your Health Administration degree include Information Systems, anatomy and physiology, epidemiology, human resources management, legal concepts in Health Administration, and operations management in health care.

The Future of Health Administration

More than 13 million Americans are employed in the health care industry as doctors, nurses, and consultants, among hundreds of other positions. Despite the current recession, the health care field is expected to grow faster than any other segment of society through at least 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Because of the massive growth in virtually all aspects of health care, health administrators are sorely needed. Competent, professional leaders are needed to manage the myriad employees, programs, and policies of health care facilities. Therefore, a degree in Health Administration makes one extremely employable. Jobs are available throughout the spectrum of the health industry at hospitals, outpatient care centers, insurance companies, relief organizations, universities, and more. With a degree in Health Administration, you could work in the business department or manage a laboratory; work with EMS services or direct research and marketing; and hire excellent professionals to provide the best care possible at your facility.