User:Miasalaun/Health administration

Lead
Health care administrators, also known as health services managers and health care managers, direct the operation of hospitals, health systems and other types of organizations. They have responsibility for facilities, services, programs, staff, budgets, relations with other organizations and other management functions, depending on the type and size of the organization (Health Administrator). Careers in this field require professionalism and leadership skills, in-depth knowledge of health care delivery and financial structure, an understanding of medical language and how patient care organizations are structured and operate. “Recent changes in the healthcare industry have prompted healthcare institutions to consider cost control, pruning of services, setting up their own healthcare maintenance organizations, walk-in clinics, ambulatory services, and other similar innovative approaches” (D’Anno and Zuckerman, 1987).

System Processes
A career in healthcare administration consists of organizing, developing, and managing medical and health services. These responsibilities are carried out at hospitals, clinics, managed care companies, public health agencies, and other comparable establishments. This job involves a lot of form-filing with minimal patient engagement. Healthcare administrators make sure to promote excellence in patient care, patient satisfaction, and relationships with their physicians. “Drucker (1988) has suggested that the new institution should be flat. A hospital must be lean. It should overcome the obsession of only pursuing short term types of organizational planning and program planning and also develop objectives and goals, and corporate strategy” (Godiwalla). In order to do this they must make sure that their employees are willing to follow protocols and keep a positive attitude with their patients. The dual role of physicians follows as the following: both consumers of healthcare resources and controllers of organizational revenue along with their ability to direct patients and prescribe care. This makes leader relationships with physicians fairly atypical in comparison with key stakeholder relationships in other industries. However, both the parties of stakeholders and patients make up the backbone of a proper healthcare administration. These administrators make sure that the doctors, insurance companies, patients, and other healthcare providers have access to the files they need to provide appropriate treatments. Multiple hierarchies of professionals, on both the clinical and administrative sides of the organization, generate special challenges for directing and coordinating the healthcare organization. A healthcare administrator has a long-term effect in improving the hospital's process operation systems. They play a vital role in the financial sustainability of the institution.

Working Conditions
A career in healthcare administration is planning, directing, or coordinating medical and health services. These responsibilities are carried out at hospitals, clinics, managed care companies, public health agencies, and other comparable settings. This job involves a lot of paperwork and minimal patient engagement. Most health administrators work 40 hours a week, though there may be times that longer hours are necessary. Since the facilities they manage (nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, etc.) operate around the clock, a manager may be called at all hours to deal with issues. Some travel may also be involved, since managers may need to inspect satellite facilities, attend meetings, etc. (Health Administrator).

Funding of Hospitals
Healthcare administrators are usually in charge of hospital finances and advocate various strategies to improve their establishment facilities and resources. Hospitals provide funding for assets like marketing, charity events, equipment, medicine, payroll, etc. According to Godiwalla’s article health administrators, “Should actually start to market its services and promote its products depending on the areas of market growth it serves and the areas of future needs of the community, i.e., in the turnaround example of Beloit Memorial Hospital, Wisconsin” (Godiwalla). At the same time, an institution should not be all things to people; it has its own limitations. The management administration carefully manages these funds due to spending limitations. The healthcare administrators control the expenditures that the hospital allows in order to meet profits. “As a result, hospitals are challenged to manage fragile budgets and often shifting reimbursement rates, while needing to deliver high-quality care regardless of payment source or adequacy” (McAlearney). However, hospitals are sometimes limited on what they can do for patients. Administrators that run these hospitals strive to achieve goals within their financial limitations. There are various causes of employment growth and workforce composition in the US that evaluate the labor market's impact on healthcare spending and health outcomes. When healthcare spending reduces, employment growth reduces. The healthcare administration is critical to the lives of the people in hospitals. It contributes to cost saving practices and making sure that the necessities are brought to the institution. Healthcare management makes sure that protocols and funds are properly organized for each department. They are responsible for keeping the healthcare industry afloat. Many hospitals host charity events and donate to these various programs.

Challenges
Health administrators face many challenges in their field of work. They are the ones that are above everyone in terms of bosses.“Even within clinical ranks, divisions exist associated with professional distinctions such as between physicians and nurses, pharmacists and physicians, and so forth. Such differences create considerable challenges for leadership as organizations struggle to manage their varied employed and contracted worker population” (McAlearney). “Competing organizational priorities create constant challenges for healthcare leaders charged to direct and appropriately utilize financial and Human Resources to best serve patients, communities, and other stakeholders and constituents” (McAlearney).

Overall Goal
The fundamental goal of a hospital administrator is to create a positive work environment where patients are treated in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. The United States leads the world in high quality and advanced level healthcare. Everyone is working towards a common goal keeping in mind establishment mission statements. This improves the organization's efficiency and productivity. The ultimate purpose and mission of health care is to help individuals regain their overall health and wellbeing. The mission statement establishes the organization's purpose and provides employees a sense of belonging and identity. This encourages management and stakeholders to put in more effort to obtain organizational success.