Every healthcare enterprise is believed to have just a single purpose, i.e. rendering quality health maintenance services. However, experiences and a critical look at the bigger picture reveals that it is crucial to see hospitals differently.
Healthcare enterprises are indeed very large organizations whose activities are meant to be run just like any other big business. You can verify this verdict when you consider key factors in your hospital like: overseeing the costs of operations, utilizing your healthcare capacity, ensuring adequate patient care, monitoring your staff’s turnover, ensuring adequate facility maintenance and so on.
Obviously, you see that the scope of managing a healthcare enterprise is indeed wider than you thought. That is why you need to know that in addition to your natural passion for the well-being of patients, there is a need for you to possess a number of administrative skills. They will get you ready to run a consistent world-class healthcare enterprise with zero managerial issues.
Below are the top ten (10) Must-Have skills you need to be a successful healthcare administrator:
1. Industry Knowledge – This is just like a basic thing, but still it needs to be mentioned. Of course, you need to be highly sound in the healthcare industry, because everything you are doing revolves around it. You cannot afford to be a novice in your own game. It is advisable to obtain a master’s degree in the field as it can push your career even further.
2. Leadership – Hospital administrators are the executives of the hospital. Leadership skills, conjoined with the ability to command respect, are essential to excel in the role.
3. Communication – Regardless of the platform where it’s taking place; email, phone or face-to-face, etc. it’s important for healthcare administrators to be eloquent and clear in what their expectations are.
4. Critical Thinking – This is very important as the job calls for solutions-oriented experts who by looking closely at data can make informed decisions that will suit the organization’s goals.
5. Quick Thinking – Healthcare administrators should be comfortable making decisions abruptly, likewise they need to readily take responsibility for the success and failure of these decisions.
6. Team work – You need to learn how you can quietly go out of your way to help others. A true team-player identifies what needs to be done and hardly seeks praise for the job done.
7. Planning Ability – Healthcare administrators must be well-informed on industry standards and be on the front-end of executing changes.
8. Relationship Building – Healthcare administrators need to learn how to interact with the hospital’s staffs (doctors, nurses, governing board, etc.) and build strong relationships to ease effective communication and keep the organization running smoothly.
9. Ethical Judgment – As a Healthcare administrator, you must have high ethical standards. Most hospital’s decisions tumble on the administrator’s office. That is why possessing a persistent moral compass will ensure that the right decisions are being constantly made.
10. Adaptability – Adaptability is a key skill for hospital administrators as it is essential to keep up with the ever-shifting healthcare landscape.
It’s understood that your passion for patients’ care may have been the reason you entered the health care field in the first place, but developing these business skills will also help you skyrocket your career easily. Not sure how to build those skills? You can enroll in an advanced educational program, such as the PBS online certificate course on Healthcare Management, this will help you progress in the areas you may need some help.