Hospital Administration has become a popular course option with healthcare centers choosing qualified administrators. Managing a hospital’s non-medical administrative activities is a task that necessitates manpower with the right education. Although an intricate career field, hospital administration offers great career prospects. Moreover, those with the right qualifications can get placement at the location of his or her choice.

Definition and Meaning of Hospital Administration

The objectives of hospital administration include financial management, manpower management, administration, and management of healthcare facilities. The administrator will be organizing, coordinating, and managing different departments of the hospital and ensuring a smooth operation.

Hospital administration was not a popular concept for at least a decade ago. Nevertheless, it has become a necessity of late. Raising the need for qualified candidates. This has led to an increase in institutions offering hospital administration courses as well.

If we look at what is hospital administration, is similar to administering any other organization. The value and importance of hospital administration is a notch above, as it deals with healthcare facilities.  

Evolution of Hospital Administration

We should also take note of the evolution of hospital administration when we discuss the definition and objectives of hospital administration. Hospital administration has grown to become a technology-driven intricate sector that necessitates adequately qualified professionals.

Changes in the key aspects of hospital administration in the chronological order are:

•         Initially it was not a separate sector, but rather a section of healthcare services under religious organizations. A small group of employees was assigned the task of overseeing patient care, finance, hospital management, and so on.
•         Innovations and subsequent introduction of advanced systems led to new treatment arenas. Consequently, numerous medical services and hospitals opened. Leading to increased competition and intricate operational needs. This initially generated the idea of hospital administration.
•         The University of Chicago instituted modern health management training systems in the early 1930s. Aimed at equipping employees with managerial skills to run a hospital, the training program may be considered the first step toward hospital administration courses.
•         Health claims and medical reimbursement became a common practice. Adding financial aspect to hospital administration. Undoubtedly, finance is one of the key aspects of hospital administration presently.
•         Induction of technology, and popularisation of telemedicine, EHR, etc enhanced the necessity of the hospital administration team.

Objectives of Hospital Administration

Objectives of hospital administration are a vital part of answering what is hospital administration. The objectives of hospital administration include:

•         Administration of the Hospital: A hospital is a busy place with constant movement. The human resources, facilities, and associated systems must be managed to have a streamlined workflow. Inadequate administration can cause inefficient functioning of the organization. Creating chaos, which would fail the organization itself.
•         Financial Management: The hospital administration team is responsible for the financial management as well. The day-to-day transactions of a health center will be in lakhs. Maintaining proper records and ensuring that every penny is accounted for is crucial for evaluating expenses, planning future activities, identifying unwanted overheads etcetera.
•         Crisis Management: Unexpected crises can occur at times. Quick and effective crisis management is necessary to prevent it from hampering the operations of the hospital. Unresolved or immaturely managed crises can impact the image of the hospital and the consequences can be worrisome. The hospital administration’s qualified team of professionals is crucial in this regard.
•         Legal Regulations: A hospital needs to pursue the extant governmental policies and legal regulations. It is the responsibility of hospital administration that rules are abided by the institution.
•         Operation Management: Day to day operations of the hospital has to be managed flawlessly. Issues have to be resolved in time and actions must be initiated accordingly. Only, qualified and knowledgeable hospital administrators can handle these operational needs.

Key Aspects of Hospital Administration

The key aspects of hospital administration include:

•         General administration
•         Finance management
•         Facility management
•         Operational management
•         Crisis management
•         Legal compliance

The Future of Hospital Administration

Hospital administration has become a necessity over time. Hence, it is going to be an essential part of every healthcare provider irrespective of the size of the institution. With technological advancements, hospital administration has become more advanced than ever. We expect that the career prospects will grow further with the increasing number of hospitals.

The Conclusion

Qualifying in hospital administration and obtaining the certification with international acceptance is highly advisable if you are looking for a career in this field. Professional progress and exceptional opportunities are the prime factors that make hospital administration the right job-oriented course for you.

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