Is Healthcare Administration a Good Career Choice?: Pros & Cons
Making career decisions is often one of the most difficult choices one has to make, especially in today’s shifting labor market. However tough it is to decide, having a set career choice will give you a sense of direction and clarity toward the next step in your career. While it is not all plain sailing, with a clear vision in mind, establishing yourself in the profession you desire will become a less challenging task.
If you’re considering a career in healthcare administration, but you’re in a quandary about whether this is the career for you, we have listed some of the pros and cons of working in this field to help you make more informed decisions. But first, let’s define healthcare administration, so you are best prepared for the demands of this profession.
What is Healthcare Administration?
Healthcare administration and management are growing fields in the healthcare industry that are crucial for the effective functioning of healthcare facilities. If you choose to be a healthcare administrator, you will be in charge of the management of either an entire facility, a specific department, or a medical practice.
In this case, the definition of “management” can vary depending on the size of the facility and whether it is an entry-level management role or one in which you take on more responsibility. However, the typical duties of a healthcare administrator include:
Improving the delivery of healthcare services,
Setting departmental or organizational goals,
Keeping up to date with laws and regulations that apply to the healthcare industry and ensuring compliance,
Preparing work schedules for staff,
Drafting budgets and monitoring them,
Organizing and monitoring patient records, etc.
Interested in pursuing a Healthcare Administration degree in California?
Fill out the form and get all the detailed information you need regarding your chosen program.
Is Healthcare Administration a Good Career Choice?: Pros
If you’re still skeptical about whether healthcare administration is the right career choice for you, here are some of its pros and cons to consider and evaluate.
Plenty of career paths
If you are one who likes variety, a profile in healthcare administration is the perfect first step toward plenty of choices for career paths. While all of the jobs listed below are leadership roles in healthcare, you can take your pick depending on your interests and preferences. Some of the many jobs that you will qualify for with a degree in healthcare administration include:
Hospital manager/CEO,
Nursing home manager,
Diagnostics laboratory manager,
Healthcare marketing manager,
Health insurance specialist,
Medical equipment manager,
Wellness program administrator.
In-demand and growing field of work
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in healthcare administration is growing much faster than the average rate for all occupations. These statistics project a 32 percent growth from 2019 to 2029 for the health care administrator job outlook.
This demand for healthcare administration and management roles comes from a number of different factors such as the ageing baby boomer generation and the increasing longevity, which have consequently grown the need for more healthcare services.
Competitive salaries
Jobs in the healthcare industry are known for their stability and domination in the salary ladder. Healthcare administration, as well, is a lucrative career path with quite the responsibilities, but that is worth the challenge. According to the BLS, in May 2020, the median healthcare administration jobs salary was $104,280.
Fast-paced work environment
While a fast-paced work environment may not be everyone’s cup of tea, if you enjoy the challenge of switching between work environments, a career in healthcare administration is the choice for you. This path is also great for people who have an affinity for working in healthcare yet are not cut for or don’t prefer directly working with patients.
Instead, this field of work involves the management of almost everything that makes a healthcare facility, nursing staff and doctors included. This makes for a challenging but exciting work environment that consists of working in an office setting, but often involves face-to-face interactions with the facility’s staff, meeting with investors (if it’s a private facility), board meetings, etc. Therefore, it is safe to say that work as a healthcare administrator will never get boring.
Career satisfaction
Being a healthcare administrator or manager means your job will directly impact the community you live in and contribute to the improvement of healthcare services that your facility offers. While you will not be working with patients, your work will help both them and the medical staff to have optimal conditions for receiving and offering treatment. Knowing that the way you manage a department or entire facility will have such a great impact and allow you to give back makes this career path a highly satisfactory one.
Cons of Healthcare Administration Careers
While this career is ideal for many, it does come with some downsides.
Strict regulations
The healthcare industry is one of the most regulated in the U.S., seeing that numerous regulatory bodies and programs apply to various aspects and activities of this industry. As a healthcare administrator, you will have to stay up to date with each law and regulation that concerns the healthcare industry. Moreover, you have to ensure that the facility or department you manage is compliant with each of the aforementioned. This can be a demanding responsibility, but that is absolutely crucial to the success of a healthcare facility.
Longer hours
While most healthcare administrators and managers work a 40 hour week, it often occurs that they will have to work more than that. Healthcare facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes are typically open 24/7; therefore, healthcare administrators may need to be on call and available in case of emergencies. These settings may also require working at irregular hours such as during evenings or weekends.
Prone to stress
Seeing as the fate of a hospital, nursing home, or any other facility you work for will ultimately depend on your management, this job does come with its fair share of stress and challenges. It often happens that healthcare administrators take the stress of their work to their homes, which can significantly affect their personal lives as well. While the rewards of this job are definitely worth the while, finding coping mechanisms and strategies to deal with stress from the job is also crucial.
These were some of the possible advantages and disadvantages to expect from working in healthcare administration. It is now up to you to evaluate whether you are up for both the challenges and gratification that come with this career path.