Patient Care Administrator Career Guide

Overview and Job Duties

The healthcare system relies heavily upon evidence based management. For this purpose usage of information technology is increasingly gaining demand all over the world. It is important that the healthcare professionals utilize the technology in a proper way that would ultimately benefit patients. Thus it is the responsibility of a patient care administrator to implement the policies and rules that may benefit staff, patients and healthcare centers. If you intend to implement those policies to support better health conditions then apply for a degree or diploma today.

Patient Care Administrator’s duties comprise of implementing regulations and procedures, supervising medical care and overseeing personnel. They need to look after financial and clinical matters related to the staff. They also maintain complex and sophisticated systems for patients as well as the staff. They need to be proficient in multi-tasking and must possess strong communication skills. This is considered as one of their significant responsibilities as they are engaged in maintaining the whole environment of the hospital. Other duties they perform include cost containment, overseeing patient care and services, regulatory compliance, staffing and quality of care.

Furthermore, Patient Care Administrators have many responsibilities and are expected to fulfill all of them perfectly. Therefore, they remain attentive and vigilant to avoid any sort of mistake.

Career Outlook

Generally speaking, Patient Care Administrators are found working in places such as hospices, hospitals, rehabilitation clinics and long-term care facilities. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2011, roughly 67,340 individuals were employed as medical recorders and health information technicians in various general medical and surgical hospitals. The rate of employment was almost 1.30%.

Salary

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011 the annual mean salary for Patient Care Administrators in general medical and surgical hospitals was around $37,960.

Educational Requirements

For becoming a Patient Care Administrator, candidates need to have a bachelor’s degree in healthcare. It takes more or less 2-3 years to complete an associate’s degree and 4 years for a bachelor’s degree to become a registered nurse.

Completing a master’s in the field of business, medical administration and healthcare administration might provide fruitful opportunities. You need to have education and experience in the fields of management and nursing. Preferably, four years experience in management and two years of work experience are ideal for qualified candidates.

Graduating from an accredited institute increases your worth if you have earned the right degree. You may also select the option of an online degree instead of a conventional one, in case you may not have time or money. This helps in continuing education despite being in the midst of a hectic schedule of work or other inter-related activities.