For the most part, when someone says they are considering a career in healthcare, the response is to ask whether they want to be a doctor or a nurse. However, the possibilities for working in healthcare go well beyond those two professions. The truth is, the healthcare industry is massive, and it requires workers with many skills to make it work. A big part of this is administration. A career in healthcare administration is a great way to help people while also creating a comfortable living for yourself. It’s an industry that isn’t going away, since people will always get sick or seek preventative medical solutions. Here are some of the top reasons to find a new career in healthcare administration.
You Can Make a Difference In Your Community
Doctors and nurses get all the credit for saving lives. However, administrators and support staff do a lot of the heavy lifting as well. Without keeping a facility operating efficiently, doctors and nurses wouldn’t be able to do their jobs nearly as well. Going to work as a healthcare administrator means that you would be helping every single person who comes to your workplace as a patient every day. Not only would you be helping by keeping the office running smoothly, but simply greeting patients with a smiling face and an understating attitude can make a huge difference in their day and help them get through their appointments or medical procedures.
You Can Make a Good Living
You might be surprised to learn that healthcare administrators make a very healthy living. You can expect to earn an average salary of around $65,000 to $70,000 per year. Your salary will only rise as you gain more experience. Healthcare administrators are in high demand, so there are plenty of opportunities for advancement to management positions or through switching healthcare fields. Some in management can make well into the six figures as they advance to the highest levels. Your best path is to advance is to pursue MHA degree after your undergrad or while you are working in the field. It will open you up to many opportunities and boost your potential earning power in the industry.
You Can Be Respected in Your Community
The healthcare industry exists to help people and make them feel better. You can be a part of that. Health care professionals are very well-respected because they keep people healthy and keep them alive. Administrators are often the first people to greet patients as they come through the door, or the first to talk to them on the phone. You can be the face of your organization, and build connections with the community well beyond if you were to work in a corporate retail capacity. You can leverage this respect and your connections to spread the good even further by sponsoring teams, donating to special causes, and organizing charity events such as food drives.
You Can Have a Variety of Work Experiences
You might find that it is very possible to work in the same healthcare facility for many years until you retire. However, the healthcare industry encompasses many different types of workplaces and possible experiences in which you can work. You might think that you would work in a hospital or a clinic, but you may also work in an assisted living home, home healthcare, private practices, dentistry, and many other disciplines. There is almost no end to the possibilities, and transferring between them all is very possible, since many of the required skills are transferable between them.
You Don’t Have to Have Prior Experience
Getting into healthcare administration isn’t as difficult as some other sectors. That’s because many of the skills you use in other industries are relevant to healthcare. You could have a business administration background, for instance, or IT or marketing. Many people find that switching from other sectors to healthcare gives them a new purpose to their work, and makes them feel like they are doing something truly important and rewarding. If you are feeling that you aren’t getting everything you want in your current job, and that you are stuck, you might not be. A career in healthcare administration might be just what you need.
You Can Have Job Security
The healthcare field is one of the few left that offers true job security. Not only are there always going to be sick people, but we are living longer as well. The longer you live, the more healthcare you will need, which means the demand for healthcare services is higher than ever. With the demand for healthcare being so high, there is also a corresponding need for healthcare workers. Even if you do lose your job, there are many other possible places to work that you will almost surely land on your feet.
Are you looking for a change to a more rewarding career choice? Does healthcare interest you, but you are not interested in being a doctor or a nurse? Then a career in healthcare administration might be just what you are looking for. Check into your options today.