As the population ages and there is a greater prevalence of people suffering from chronic health conditions such as diabetes and obesity, the focus on healthcare in the US is growing.
If you’re someone who wants to be part of this growing sector and wants to feel as though they are in a career that really makes a difference but you perhaps don’t feel that hands-on patient care is right for you, then health care administration and management could be a great career option.
What is health care administration and management?
When we think about hospitals and other healthcare facilities, we probably primarily think about doctors and nurses. However, there is a great deal of work that happens behind the scenes to ensure that patients receive the care that they need and that front-line medical staff is well looked after.
Studying for an M.S. in Health Care Administration and Management puts you in a great position to take on one of these roles. It’s now possible to study for this qualification online, meaning that you can schedule your studies around your existing work and life commitments.
You will learn about things like health economics, health care policy, ethics in health care leadership and health care law from professionals who have been part of the health care sector for many years.
What are the career prospects for graduates?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) the average salary for medical and healthcare managers in 2020 was $104,280 per year, which is over double the average salary in other sectors.
The employment of healthcare managers is also predicted to grow 32% between 2019 and 2029, with an additional 133,200 jobs being created. This means that by studying health care administration and management you will become qualified for a career with excellent job security, and excellent remuneration.
Health care managers can work in a number of different types of facility, including hospitals, nursing homes and group medical practices, which means that you have the opportunity to expand on your skillset and change your working location, should you want to.
Some of the career paths which are open to healthcare administration and management graduates are:
- Human resources managers – looking after the wellbeing of hospital and other healthcare facility staff, and strategic planning to ensure that there are enough staff to meet demand, within budget.
- Social and community service managers – organizing and looking after teams who work in the community such as nurses and nurse practitioners. These teams are vital in rural areas without easy access to hospitals and other healthcare providers.
- Training and development managers – working with organizations and their staff to ensure that staff is trained to meet the needs of the organization, the patients and the career goals of the individual staff member.
- Health insurance specialist – working with medical records and insurance companies to ensure that insurance policies are billed correctly. They may even work with insurance providers to create new policies and benefit plans.