Work In Health Care Administration Essay Example for Free

Work In Health Care Administration Essay The health care field is one of constant growth and change.   As the face of health care changes, through privatization, the influence of HMOs, and individuals with doctorates of nursing practice challenging medical doctors in some fields of care, the health care profession can be a volatile place indeed.   That volatility not only increases the number of opportunities open to the health care professional, but it also makes the health care industry an exciting place to be in the upcoming decades. Available Opportunities According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2007) a total of approximately 248,000 positions were available to health care administrators in 2004.   Continued rapid growth is expected to continue until 2014 (pars. 24-25). Working as a Health Care Administrator Health care administrators have opportunities largely divided between hospitals and nursing care facilities. These facilities are classified by size.   Administrators in large facilities often have assistant administrators working as direct reports, who handle the daily decision making in their particular areas such as nursing, medical records, and so on.   Administrators of small facilities are more involved in day-to-day activities, including personnel management, admissions, and even in resident care (pars. 4-5). Necessary Education Careers in health care administration require an individual to have at least a bachelor’s degree for entry-level positions in smaller facilities (par. 19).   Larger facilities usually require a master’s degree or higher for these positions.   These same degrees may also be needed for advancing at smaller facilities. Jobs in health care administration health are often open to such individuals or individuals who have risen through the ranks of other areas in the industry and have received special training in administration tasks (par. 19). Pros and Cons Due to the expanding job market in the health care field, in large part due to the aging of the American public, many jobs will be available in the future.   Health care administrators work long hours, in part due to the around the clock nature of the field.   In addition, travel to attend meetings or to inspect other facilities might add to the number of expected work hours.   As with any job in the health care industry, this career path has the possibility of being highly stressful.   Health care administrators may or may not share an office with others of their staff (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, pars. 14-15). Salary and Benefits According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2007) the annual salaries for health care administrators range from approximately $41,000 to approximately $117,000, with a median salary of about $67,000.   This median varies between facilities and services, starting at about $60,000 for home health care services to about $87,000 for individuals who work for the Federal Government (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2007, par. 31). Analysis The health care industry appears to be a good one to enter during the next seven or so years.   The industry will continue to broaden with the introduction of new technology and improvements in drugs and care techniques created by interdisciplinary research.   Current health care administrators will need to continue in their educational pursuits to remain competent in the field, while the minimum educational requirements for entry-level positions may continue to climb. A career in health care administration may offer a wide variety of potential experiences for a person interested in the field, depending on the size of the facility at which he or she is employed and based on the facility placement in either the public or private sector.   While health care administration field appears to make great demands on individuals interested in working in the field, the potential for good earnings is high.   Jobs are available in many areas of specialization in health care administration, which may open the field to individuals of varied interests, strengths, and skill during years to come.   Reference Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational outlook handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Medical and Health Services Managers.   Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos014.htm