5 Skills of the Successful Healthcare Administrator

If you watch television, listen to the radio or read the newspaper, you've heard that careers in the healthcare field are booming. Having a career in healthcare doesn't mean that you have to get hands-on with patients if you don't have the desire to do so. There are dozens of careers in the healthcare field that you may enjoy. If you have a mind for numbers and an eye for detail, you may enjoy a career in administration. Here are the five skills that successful healthcare administrators possess:

1.Communication

In order to be a great administrator, you've got to have excellent communication skills. You'll need to be able to speak to department heads, workers, customers and peers with respect and honesty. You'll need to utilize your communication skills to establish relationships with industry executives and co-workers. You'll also need to facilitate positive relationships between workers and help build successful interactions between managers and employees.

2. Professionalism

As an administrator, you will need to maintain a cehospirtain level of professionalism. While there's nothing that says you can't have fun at your job, you do need to maintain the respect of those that you work with and those that you supervise. Your professional attitude should be carried with you outside of the office as well. There should be no doubt in the eyes of the healthcare community that you are well-skilled at your profession. Remember that you represent your hospital both on and off of the clock.

3. Knowledge of the Field

To succeed as a healthcare administrator, you obviously need to have knowledge of the field. You'll need to know the ins and outs of policies, the latest advances in technology and what makes good hospitals better. It will be up to you to seek out educational opportunities that will give you the knowledge to be better at your job. The more you know, the more your hospital or clinic will benefit and you will as well. The more knowledge that you gain, the further you can advance in your career.

4. Leadership

Every great administrator is able to lead a team of people effectively and fairly. You must be able to create goals for your team and lead them towards the fruition of objectives. To lead people effectively, you've got to treat them with fairness and respect. Rather than applying a drill sergeant attitude, lead by example. You'll find that you gain more respect and admiration if you are willing to get down in the trenches with the people who work for you.

5. Flexibility

The world of healthcare is an evolving one; you've got to be able to roll with the punches and adjust your thinking when necessary. If you remain stagnant in your thinking and refuse to change, you'll quickly become redundant in the eyes of your employers. You need to be comfortable with change, or at least willing to adapt to it, to find success in the healthcare field. The good news is that flexibility is something that you can practice; if you aren't good at it now, start practicing thinking outside of the box and changing your attitude towards change.

Healthcare administrators are an important group of people doing good work. If you have an interest in the medical field and possess the five qualities above, there's very little doubt that you'll find success in healthcare.

Anne Smith is a full-time writer for higher ed blogs and journals nationwide. Several schools offer degrees in the health field, including University of Southern California and Berkeley University