Working in healthcare is often thought about by the general public as being all about changing bandages, diagnosing conditions, stitching up wounds, and performing other practical tasks. However, while these are all important aspects of many healthcare roles, those who work in the industry know that a healthcare institution also has plenty of administrative, strategic, and financial jobs to be completed. Like any other organization, a hospital, a nursing home, or a family care practice would crumble without managers, administrators, and other people working ‘behind the scenes’ to keep the whole infrastructure going.
If you work in healthcare or are hoping to start a career in this field, here are some leadership roles you could aim toward.
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1. Hospital administrator
The task of a hospital administrator is to organize and supervise all operations and services provided by a hospital. This is a strategic role suited to big-picture thinkers, as it entails supervising all of these sectors:
- medical services
- finances
- human resources management
- IT
- cleaning
- building maintenance
- catering
- community engagement
- marketing and publicity
- education, if the hospital you work for is a teaching hospital
To become a hospital administrator you will need several years’ experience working in healthcare management, for example, as an operations manager in any kind of healthcare facility or as an assistant hospital administrator. Most hospitals also require candidates to have a graduate degree in healthcare administration, although some workplaces might accept a bachelor's degree if the applicant can demonstrate that they have enough experience in the field.
If you are hoping to one day become a hospital administrator, you should seize every opportunity you have to become involved in all the different aspects of running a healthcare facility. For example, you could ask your manager if you can shadow them. You could also consider becoming a union rep, which will enable you to participate in some management meetings. You should be aware, however, that unfortunately many union reps report being passed over for promotions because of their involvement with the trade union. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to be a union rep early on in your career, then complete a graduate degree in healthcare management and then seek a promotion.
2. Nurse manager
All categories of hospital staff, both medical and non-medical, need managers to organize their shifts and supervise their work. The reason why the role of a nurse manager is specifically highlighted in this article is that many people think of nurses as the lowest rung of the medical hierarchy. Not only is this not true—just think of healthcare support workers—but there are plenty of opportunities for registered nurses to advance their careers by becoming nurse practitioners, advanced practice registered nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse researchers, and, of course, nurse managers.
The role of a nurse manager includes both clinical and management aspects. A nurse manager will still deliver clinical care and will also be responsible for mentoring and supervising the nurses in their team. At the same time, a nurse manager is also involved in managerial tasks, such as overseeing their department’s budget and expenditure, dealing with any human resources issues, and setting strategic goals for their team.
Apart from gaining several years’ experience working as a registered nurse, the best way to qualify for nurse manager roles is to complete a DNP executive leadership program. DNP stands for Doctor of Nursing Practice, which is one of the highest academic qualifications available in the nursing field (on par with a PhD in nursing). Gaining a DNP will prepare you not only to become a nurse manager but also a nurse director, a chief nursing officer, or a Vice President of Nursing, which are the obvious steps up from a nurse manager role.
3. Health information manager
A health information technician is responsible for collecting, storing, and protecting clinical information in a way that is secure and compliant with the latest data protection legislation. A large healthcare organization will typically have several health information technicians who are supervised by a health information manager. This role is for you if you enjoy working with data and data management software, and if you are able to oversee whole databases while also spotting and correcting errors at a very detailed level.
Health information technicians often spend large amounts of time working by themselves or in a small team, so the entry-level jobs in health information are suited to those who are more introverted. If you want to become a manager, however, you will need to develop excellent communication and leadership skills in order to lead your team effectively and work well with other managers in your workplace.
To become a health information manager, you will need a bachelor's degree in health information management, which will include courses in biomedical sciences, medical law, data protection law, statistics, coding, database management, and data analysis. You will then need to work for several years as a health information technician or administrator. There are also graduate programs available to train managers in this field, and it is likely that more and more workplaces will require their managers to have graduate degrees as the field of healthcare information management becomes increasingly complex.
4. Healthcare policy analyst
Healthcare provision is regulated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as well as by state agencies. If you enjoy lobbying, advocacy, and law, you could apply to become a policy analyst at one of the many agencies that make up HSS, such as the Food and Drug Administration or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. A policy analyst is responsible for analyzing and evaluating current policies, monitoring the effect they have on medical practice, suggesting policy changes to lawmakers through taking part in working groups, and planning policy-related initiatives with both governmental and private sector institutions.
To become a healthcare policy analyst, you will usually need a graduate degree in a relevant field, as well as several years’ experience in healthcare management.
