Career as a Hospital Administrator

By Dr Meeta Singh

We all seek to get wealth and great health in life. Good healthcare is what we seek when we are not well. The healthcare industry in India, too, is one of the largest industries catering to more than a billion of the population.

According to data published by IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation), during 2008-2020, the healthcare industry is expected to record a CAGR of 16.5% which is huge in terms of revenue. The total size of the industry is also expected to expand considerably reaching USD 160 billion by the end of 2017 and USD 280 by 2020. With such huge revenue, the industry requires able professionals to manage, formulate and design effective policies.

A Hospital Administration professional is the person who takes care of the operations of a hospital ensuring smooth functioning. The first and foremost requirement to become a Hospital Administrator is to learn to multi-task, lead and take crucial decisions related to healthcare function. In India, healthcare was under government discretion for a long period of time but soon private sector also started its services and hence came many private hospitals.

Today, it has become a blooming sector and calls for able administrators to handle smooth operations in order to strengthen the procedure of providing health services to the needy. Just like a hospital is incomplete without an able doctor; a hospital administrator ensures that the hospital has the entire infrastructure intact in order to assist the doctor and patient alike. Having prior medical knowledge is always preferred by Hospital management; it not only helps in understanding the nuances of a hospital but also gives one the confidence in taking crucial decisions. Think you can pursue a career in Hospital Administration? This article helps you understand what it takes to be a Hospital Administrator.

1.       What does a Hospital Administration professional do?

A Hospital administrator’s job calls for lot of responsibility and the ability to lead a large team. The role implies formulating hospital policies keeping the set budget in consideration, designing the budget for each department, taking care of the entire infrastructure and supervising daily operations of a hospital. The role involves being on your toes and keeping a stern eye on every process of the hospital.

2.       What are the key responsibilities?

Fundamentally, these are the core responsibilities of any Hospital Administrator:

• Managing daily administrative operations which may include – making a list of equipment which need to be replaced or mended, to check if the ambulances are working fine or need maintenance, to supervise the staff in maintaining discipline.
• A hospital administrator also ensures that the patients are being attended properly by the staff & doctors.
• Scrutinizing daily expenses and checking if anything is not as per the budget and taking required actions.
• Coming up with cost-effective solutions and keeping the management posted about the daily budgeting cycle.
• Creating a list of things required for hospital and getting it approved by the management on time so that no delay occurs in serving the patients. 
• Resolving any issues faced by patients in getting treatment or any difficulties faced by the doctors or other medical staff in performing their duties.

 3.       Which degree or course is necessary for a career in Hospital Administration?

A Master’s degree in Hospital Administration is preferred by hospitals while hiring a person who will take care of the entire administration. It’s ideal to have a medical degree at undergraduate level (MBBS or BDS) in order to apply for this job.

 4.       What are the pre-requisite skills required?

Apart from academic qualification, a hospital administrator must have sound knowledge of healthcare procedures and terminology. As an administrator you will be responsible for formulating budgets and taking care of finances so you must have knowledge of accounts and budgeting. Communication and inter-personal skills are a must as you would be dealing with patients, doctors, nurses and higher management as well.

5.       Why I joined this field?

After completing my Bachelor’s in Dental Sciences (BDS), I joined as a practitioner with a private dental clinic. Here, I was assisting a senior dentist in treating patients on everyday basis. But, I always wanted to learn further. Spending close to a year at the clinic I also learned about the administration part. It is here, that I got interested in changing my profile and I pursued Masters in Hospital Administration, after which I got placed at a multi-specialty Hospital as an Assistant Manager.

Here, I got the chance to learn the intricacies of the job. Along with managing the daily operations I was also assigned the role of Business Development, wherein I was responsible for taking care of marketing and branding of the hospital.

Today, I am working as a Head of Business Development with Wikreate Health Media and take care of digital and off-line marketing for our clients in the medical industry.

6.       What is a typical day at work like?

A typical day at work of a hospital administrator may include preparing a to-do-list. Checking if the staff is in proper attendance and if the doctors and nurses are on their duty is the foremost task. As a hospital administrator, conducting meetings with other departments becomes mandatory in order to learn about their issues. These meetings involve discussion on the daily operations of the particular department and if they require any assistance from the management. Meeting with the higher management follows, briefing them and giving the daily report to the management.

 7.       What are the biggest challenges of this job?

Taking care of the entire administration of a hospital may look like a gigantic task and require a lot of patience and a good memory to remember each and every detail. You may have to take many rounds of the hospital to ensure proper functioning. Dealing with patients who are in distress may sometimes take a toll on you. You need lots of patience and a good empathetic heart.

About the Author:

Dr Meeta Singh

Dr Meeta Singh is a dental practitioner turned Communication Strategist. She earned her BDS degree from Ch. Charan Singh University and her Masters in Hospital Administration from Amity University. In a brief career journey of 4 years, she has worked with Fortis Hospital and Primus Super Specialty Hospital.