Health Administrators are needed to make sure that tasks are carried out in the best possible way to achieve organizational goals and appropriate processes, including making sure financial and human resources are adequate to support the organization. Decisions made by healthcare administrators not only focus on ensuring that the patient receives the most appropriate, timely, and effective services possible, but also address achievement of performance targets that are desired by the administrator.Ultimately, decisions made by an individual administrator affect the organization's overall performance (Thompson ; Bookbinder, 2012). During a time when the latherer industry is undergoing a variety of changes caused by not only modern technology but also an overall change in the United States health care system, today's healthcare administrators are faced with new and unprecedented challenges. Healthcare organizations are faced with many issues that can be easily explained by the inconsistency and lack of high performing Healthcare Business Administrators within their organizations.
Due to the fact that the healthcare industry faces new challenges each day, the decision largely falls on administrators to strategies and dress these issues and to continue to provide adequate care for patients. These challenges are derived from a variety of factors, including the varying practices and business models, implementation of new legislation, issues and trends with managed care, advances in medical technology, as well as a lack of effective communication between clinical and non-clinical staff.Due to the fact that the technology and processes used by healthcare organizations continue to advance, it is difficult for schools to keep up with these ever evolving changes. Due to America's technological imperative, these healthcare organizations have a desire to have state of the art technology available and ready to use it, despite its cost or established health benefit.
High tech procedures are also more readily available in the United States than in most countries, and little is done to limit the expansion of new technology. Bookbinder ; Shanks, 2013) Therefore, although it may be difficult, it is essential for schools to properly teach courses that are dedicated to the advancement of medical technology. Unfortunately, many schools do not have the funds or resources to provide their students with education eared towards these advancements or the benefits of these technologies. Moreover, due to the fact that the Electronic Medical Record systems are still not standardized, there is no official communication process between health organizations for schools to teach their future Healthcare Administrators.
It has also been noted that many hospital-mentoring programs may overlook their true business practices in their curriculum. Many mentoring programs do not focus on the ethical challenges that managers are faced with, such as the internal pressures to perform and meet business metrics such as cost savings and increased profits. The United States healthcare system has also been significantly affected by the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act as of June 2012.Due to this decision, many new business models and health care policies will arise for these healthcare organizations. Managers must consider both the internal and external domains as they carry out management functions and tasks.
One of the critical areas for managing the external world is to be knowledgeable about the health policy matters under consideration at the state and federal levels that affect health service organizations and healthcare delivery. Bookbinder & Shanks, 2012) Some other key aspects of the health care reform legislation include the new excise tax for the use of certain medical devices, pre-existing condition insurance plans, Medicaid expansions to cover individuals whose income falls below 150% of the poverty line, as well as the fact that young adults that will still be covered under their parent's plan are now required to remain covered by insurances companies until the age of 26. As these changes go into effect, the amount of choices that patients have when seeking health are providers will drastically increase.To combat this, health care administrators, as well as schools who are preparing these future administrators will need to identify ways to succeed during a time when consumer choice is at the forefront of discussion. Another threat to traditional health care organizations is the increasing amount of specialty facilities that have gained popularity and recognition in the United States. Approximately 42% of physicians work in primary care; the remaining 58% are specialists.
The proportion of active Primary Care Physicians has been continually excelling since 1949 and has reached its lowest point in recent years.Also a decreasing number of physicians have been entering primary care (Bookbinder ; Shanks, 2012). These specialists provide the opportunity for higher quality care and cost control. While these physicians are beginning to start their own outpatient specialty centers, hospital administrators must respond by developing a strategy for specialized care. When determining the type of specialization, it is essential for health care administrators to examine the providers in surrounding areas and the anemographic that the organizations serve.After determining an achievable strategy, administrators must work to staff their hospitals with qualified members to accommodate the plan and implement best practices.
As of today, the need for specialized training for health administrators is crucial. Unfortunately, most schools have still not addressed this issue. Effectively communicating with clinicians is also another issue that health administrators continue to see. The lack of clinical training and understanding of medical terminology can cause a great deal of difficulty and complications in every ay communication a Health Administrator will have with medical staff.Effective communication between administrators and clinicians is a vital part of patient safety that schools also fail to teach.
Health Administrators are also responsible for setting up guidelines for the safety these clinicians provide for their patients. For example, each year, approximately 1 million people lose their lives because of traffic or road accidents. More than half a million die because of pregnancy-related complications. In situations such as these, the capacity to implement correct and timely emergency alnico procedures at the first referral hospital is vital.However, in practice the quality of surgical care is often constrained by lack of trained staff; poor facilities; inadequate low-technology apparatus; and limited supplies of drugs, materials and other essentials. Without essential care, up to 10% of the population dies from injury, and 5% of pregnancies result in maternal death (Pipette ; Donaldson, 2005).
Simple procedures such as changing gloves and washing hands between patients are also issues that Health Care Administrators may run into with clinical employees.This is why it is essential for health administrators to enforce strict guidelines and ensure conditions are conductive to the multifaceted, multimode hand hygiene strategy with an approach that promotes patient safety (Pipette ; Donaldson, 2005). Like any successful business, healthcare needs quality managers and administrators to maintain a smoothly running organization. These administrators plan and supervise the delivery of services by doctors, nurses, and technicians. As explained earlier, many Health Administrators may lack the knowledge and understanding of clinical procedures.This is why in many cases; nurses are promoted into Health Care Business Administrator positions.
Unfortunately, although these nurses are great asset to their organizations, the majority of nurses lack the formal education required to effectively run or manage a business. Many nurses have also spent years of their lives working directly with patients during face-to-face encounters, and may find themselves in conflict when they are asked to perform duties that are in the best interest for the organization they work for, rather than the patient that is being cared for.Health Care Business Administrators are trained and taught how to engage in effective decision-making in these situations. Health Care Business Administrators learn how to be objective, rather than emotional when dealing with this decision, which is something that nurses may have issues with. Nurses have been trained in areas of patient care, however their training had not been geared towards the operational side of health care.
Many nurses lack the skills and education needed to properly manage financing, I. E. Cost control, reimbursements, or expenditures for their organizations.
