The 5 Qualities of a Successful Health Care Administrator

In many aspects health care is a business like any other. The accounting side of a business works in the same way for one that makes widgets as it does for a medical practice. However, it is totally different when you’re dealing with people’s health—which is why there is definitely a special set of characteristics that makes health care administrators stand out.

Discretion.

Many health care administrators are responsible for patients’ medical records and files. This means they have access to private information. A good administrator also has a certain sensitivity and understanding of the ethics involved with patient privacy.

Flexibility.

Health care laws change from state to state, even county to county. And who knows what the future will bring on the federal level. So while the principles of good health care haven’t changed, a superior health care administrator keeps up with regulations and understands that it’s an ever-changing industry.

Communication skills.

Depending upon where you work, you could be dealing with patients, doctors, nurses, allied health workers, suppliers, other administrators and insurance companies. So being an effective communicator whether it’s in person, on the phone or in writing is a must.

Organized.

Nobody’s perfect. Once in a while we’re all going to misplace something. But in the health care industry it can be a big problem when somebody misplaces a patient’s medical records. The better health care administrators may not be 100% perfect, but they always know how to find stuff.

Analytical.

A big part of being an excellent health care administrator, as opposed to a merely adequate one, is thinking about ways to improve the efficiency and organization of your office. This means being able when necessary to think more about systems than tasks. Successful health care administrators understand the big picture—and how to keep it in focus.

Now, some lucky people are born with all these traits. The rest of us have to develop them. City College’s B.S. in Health Care Administration program is a great way to work toward these skills and characteristics. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in health care administration, and you’re ready to learn, call City College at 866-314-5681.

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