What Are the Requirements to be a Hospital Administrator?

What Hospital Administrators Do

Healthcare administrators, also commonly known as hospital administrators when leading a hospital, are management personnel tasked with the running of entire hospitals or clinics. They are responsible for the hiring and training of new personnel, the overall efficiency of the hospital, and the budget and finances for the organization as a whole. While most hospital administrators will have a team of department heads working under them, they are ultimately responsible for every aspect of hospital performance. Because of the great burden of responsibility placed upon them, hospital administrators have a number of requirements they must meet before even being considered for the job.

Hospital Administrator Requirements

In order to work as a hospital administrator, it is typically required that an individual hold at least a bachelor's degree in a related field, although master's degrees are often preferred, particularly for large facilities. Some positions may require that applicants hold a valid license to practice medicine as well, such as being a Registered Nurse (RN). Special licenses for healthcare administrators working in nursing homes are also required in most states. Such additional licensing requirements are typically spelled out in hospital administrator job descriptions. Related work experience is also highly preferred, so applicants who have previously worked in positions such as nurses, medical administrative assistants, or health information technicians may have an edge.

Hospital Administrator Degree Programs

Degrees in healthcare administration are available as both bachelor's and master's degrees. Individuals with a bachelor's degree in another related field, such as business or nursing, could be great candidates for a master's program in healthcare administration. A bachelor's degree in healthcare administration can be enough to land a job as a hospital administrator, although holders of this degree might also decide to earn a master's later in their career. Courses that might be taken during healthcare administration programs include:

• Healthcare laws and ethics
• Principles of accounting
• Human resources for healthcare management
• Healthcare strategy

Healthcare administration courses often consist of a mix of business concepts and healthcare and medical training. Programs may include a practicum or residency, which allows students to gain first-hand experience by working and learning in real health facilities. Degrees in healthcare administration are also available online, and these programs are also likely to include a practicum.

Certification for Healthcare Administrators

Certification is an option for healthcare administrators, through an organization known as the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management (PAHCOM). They offer the Certified Medical Manager (CMM) credential, which is nationally recognized. To qualify, individuals must possess at least 2 years of work experience in healthcare management, with a focus on patient care, as well as a minimum of 12 post-secondary educational credits in the area of healthcare administration or management. Each year of experience beyond the required 2 years can take the place of 1 credit of education, if needed. After being approved, applicants will need to take and pass a 200 question, multiple choice certification exam within the next three months and pay the exam fees. Recertification is required every 2 years and requires 24 continuing education credits, of which 12 must be through PAHCOM approved educational programs.