Hospital administration is a field related to the leadership, management, and administration of hospitals, hospital networks, healthcare systems, clinics, nursing homes, and smaller medical facilities. It is a growing field that prepares students for managerial or supervisory positions in healthcare organizations. Healthcare administration courses typically cover healthcare management, finance, and strategic planning, as well as healthcare policy, law, and ethics. Medical terminology is also an important course for healthcare administrators to understand the terminology used in hospitals, doctors offices, and other healthcare facilities.
There are different degree programs available for healthcare administration, including a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration, a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and a Master of Public Health (MPH) . A bachelors degree in health administration or a related field is typically required for entry-level positions in hospital administration, but many employers prefer candidates with a relevant masters degree.
Graduates of healthcare administration programs are prepared for a variety of health management professions, including quality improvement manager, hospital administration management analyst, medicare product manager, operations manager, patient navigator, and administrative supervisor.