Find a Job

A hospital is more than huge buildings or a sprawling campus of buildings. A hospital is a collection of hundreds of people trying to carry out a diverse set of tasks to accomplish countless goals. All of this is going on in the same space at the same time. The person trying to keep all these people moving forward without interfering with each other is the Hospital Administrator.

The job involves managing every aspect of the business. For a senior manager that's a daunting task all on its own, however emergency medicine involves challenges all its own. It literally is about life and death. That fact creates a constant emotional pressure filled with urgency.

Most hospital administrators have years of work experience and either a Master of Health Administration (MHA) or a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a healthcare focus. The MHA is oriented toward healthcare policy, while the MBA Healthcare has a broader focus on all the business aspects. Ultimately the MBA is more versatile.

Leadership is probably the number one quality required of a hospital administrator. With so many people driven by so much urgency, it is difficult to keep everyone moving together without stepping on each others toes. It takes strong leadership to make it all work.

That leadership usually starts with drafting policy. The implementation of a solid set of policies creates the game plan for the organization. In healthcare, these policies should prioritize the care of the hospital, the staff and the patients.

In conclusion, the life of a hospital administrator involves business (staffing, scheduling, budgets, marketing, etc), management (policy setting and leadership) and dealing with an incredibly challenging and stressful environment. However, for as hard as it can be, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Beyond the day to day challenges, there is a big picture. This is the business of caring for other human beings.