14 Pros and Cons of Being a Healthcare Administrator

Working in Healthcare Administration involves a myriad of paperwork and responsibility in general.

The general operation of the medical facility falls on the administrator’s shoulders.

Groups or individuals in charge of hospitals’ administrative functions are known as hospital administrators.

Some administrators are generalists and others specialists.

A generalist is a person tasked with overseeing or assisting in the oversight of a large organization.

Some people specialize in a particular area of work, like policy evaluation, accounting records, personnel management, or marketing.

There are several pros and cons to working in the healthcare administration field, as you’ll find below, before deciding if this career is for you.

Pros of Being a Healthcare Administrator

The pros of being a healthcare administrator are abundant, especially if you enjoy being in a leadership position.

Here are a few:

Many Careers Can Emerge From Administration

If you enjoy diversity, a career as a healthcare administrator is the ideal initial step toward an abundance of options for career direction.

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 having a healthcare administration degree include:

• CEO or Manager of a Medical Facility
• Nursing home manager
• Diagnostics laboratory manager
• Healthcare marketing manager
• Health insurance specialist
• Medical equipment manager
• Wellness program administrator

Great Pay

No matter how passionate we are about a job, nothing makes it more worthwhile than getting a good salary, and healthcare administration offers that.

It is widely known that employment in the healthcare industry comes with a range of salaries that climb pretty high.

The salary is often commensurate with the heavy workload; in other words, the work and pay go hand in hand.

The salary makes this lucrative job field, with a median salary of nearly 105 thousand dollars, worth the challenge.

Never a Dull Moment

If you appreciate the daunting task of swapping between workplace settings, a job in healthcare administration seems to be the best option for you.

Individuals who enjoy working in healthcare but aren’t cut out for or enjoy working closely with patients can benefit from this career path.

As a healthcare administrator, you’ll be responsible for overseeing the entire staff, including doctors and nurses.

Working in the office but frequently having to communicate with the hospital’s staff and shareholders, as well as attending meetings of the board, is a demanding but fascinating workplace.

A career as a healthcare administrator wouldn’t get dull, so that’s a given.

There is a Lot of Variety in Your Daily Tasks

For those who enjoy doing different things every day, working as a hospital administrator has its advantages.

The hospital administrator’s job is constantly changing to meet the facility’s needs.

As a hospital administrator, your job is to serve as a point of contact between various departments, to assist in problem-solving, and to ensure that everything at the facility runs smoothly.

When it comes to your job, you’ll face numerous fresh problems each day.

A Career That Satisfies

Healthcare administrators and managers have a direct impact on the communities they serve and help to improve the quality of healthcare services they provide.

Even though you won’t be directly interacting with patients, the work would help ensure that they and the medical personnel are in the best possible health care environment.

Being able to make a difference in the lives of others through how you run a department or an entire facility is one of the most fulfilling aspects of this line of work.

A Career That Is Unaffected by Crisis or Recession

We’ve seen it repeatedly: during times of crisis, such as a pandemic or a recession, people lose their jobs.

On the other hand, employment opportunities in the healthcare profession are becoming scarce.

As a result, being a hospital administrator has the additional advantage of being immune to an economic downturn.

Leadership positions in healthcare are in high demand as the industry expands rapidly.

You Make a Difference to the Patients and Industry

For many years, the healthcare industry has been abuzz with expansion talk.

There is much more to growth than simply adding more doctors and nurses to the workforce.

The healthcare industry is already very complicated.

While demand for healthcare services grows, so does the need for strategic leaders who can guide institutions through the issues and challenges of transformation.

Individuals around the world, whether they have a clinical background or not, can participate in a rapidly expanding industry and reap the benefits of a burgeoning industry.

Cons of Being a Healthcare Administrator

Even though this job is suitable for many people, there are a few drawbacks, including:

You Work Very Long Hours Sometimes

It is not uncommon for health administrators and supervisors to work longer than the standard 40-hour workweek.

Administrators of healthcare institutions such as hospitals and senior centers are often required to be accessible round-the-clock in an emergency.

There may also be the need to work unusual hours, such as at night or on the weekends.

It Can Become Stressful

Stress and complexities abound in administering a medical center, skilled nursing facility, or another type of establishment.

Health care administrators often bring their job stress home with them, which can have a notable impact on their personal lives.

It’s essential to find ways to cope with the stress of this job, even if the benefits outweigh the challenges.

Operating in healthcare administration can bring a variety of perks and challenges.

The decision is entirely up to you on whether or not you’re up for the challenges and rewards of pursuing a career in this field.

Regulations Are Usually Very Strict

One of the most heavily regulated sectors in the United States is healthcare, with numerous agencies and programs overseeing all field facets.

You’ll need to know everything there is to know about healthcare laws and regulations if you’re going to be a healthcare administrator.

The institution or division you handle must also comply with all of the above.

However, this might be a difficult task, but it is critical to the growth of a health institution.

Intricate Training Requirements

A credentialed medical school degree and six years of post-medical degree expertise in medicine are requirements for specific areas of Health Administration.

It includes becoming a physician executive in many states.

Three years of industry experience supervising a medical program is also required.

Due to the high bar for entry, younger applicants often get passed over in favor of more experienced ones.

There Is A Lack Of Direct Patient Care

If you’re considering a career in healthcare administration because you want to work directly with patients, rethink your decision.

As a physician executive aspirant, this is especially important.

The vast majority of a physician executive’s work that has to get done daily is managerial and in the background.

Aside from that, the additional time spent studying for and working on business-related certifications and licenses takes time away from clinical work.

Make The Unpopular Decisions

Many times, it’s best to make decisions by consulting all the other executives, or sometimes it is even better to get the entire staff input.

However, being behind the scenes as a Health Administrator allows you to see things from all angles and understand some challenging changes that must happen.

Unfortunately, not everyone will see eye-to-eye with you, but you must make the unpopular decision for the facility’s success.

What’s essential is breaking it down so that everyone can understand and ultimately agree with your choice.

Drown in Paperwork

Administrative tasks naturally come with an abundance of paperwork.

However, for a Health Administrator, it can be even more daunting since you head just about every area of the facility.

Everything done in the medical world undergoes deeper scrutiny than many other fields.

After all, thousands of people’s lives are in the hands of the physicians and staff members who work under you.

A mistake you make on one paper can be a downfall to the entire organization.

Should You Become a Health Administrator?

If you enjoy leadership, varying work tasks, and an excellent salary, becoming a Healthcare Administrator is ideal.

Staffing, efficiency, and finances are all concerns of a healthcare administrator on a day-to-day basis.

A healthcare administrator can work in various environments, from hospitals and nursing homes to outpatient medical centers and rehabilitation centers.

Currently, the median pay for Health Administrators, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), was just over 104 thousand dollars.

Health care administration is a challenging but rewarding career, and the BLS predicts that employment in the medical and health services management sector will increase by 32% over the next decade.

As a result, qualified individuals with the appropriate educational and clinical credentials will have no shortage of employment options.

Pros and Cons of Being a Healthcare Administrator Summary Table