HealthCare Administration Anyone?????

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Just a question:Has anyone gone for or is going for school in Healthcare/Health System Management/Administration? Just would like to know how the problem was for you and how different was it from the nursing standpoint. Any challenges you faced. Was there alot of paper writting? How can I prepare myself for this career path? Are there jobs out their for this major, especially with a Bachelors degree? What is the annual salary like? What area's have you worked in or are working in.Is there a good job outlook?Any and all info are welcome.

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Specializes in Health Information Management.

I'm in the process of getting a bachelor's degree in health information management (my program's name will be shortly be changed to health information administration) and when I graduate, I will sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator exam. While I cannot answer how different it will be from nursing (I'm not a nurse, I'm just here to learn about the things nurses deal with every day), I can give you information about the program content areas, details, professional focus areas, job outlook, etc. If you like, PM me and I'll give you more information; I'm not sure it would interest anyone else around here and it could end up being a lengthy exchange!

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Thanks for the reply...but I'm acutally interested in Healthcare administration, not Health information management which is quite different from my program. I believe your program deals with computers but mines doesn't. But thanks for the response.

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Specializes in Health Information Management.

It deals with a lot of different areas, including policy research, data analysis, coding, risk management, quality improvement, privacy issues, EHR implementation, and healthcare administration/management. The idea that HIM/HIA folks are glorified IT personnel for healthcare facilities who just "deal with computers" is something of a fallacy. However, it's your education, so whatever floats your boat. Good luck in whatever program you pursue!

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Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

I am shopping around for graduate programs and I inadvertently came across some of these programs in my search. I was wondering the same thing, actually. I don't know that your job outlook would be all that awesome to tell you the truth. Hospitals generally either hire clinicians with advanced degrees/training in healthcare administration and management into those jobs in my geographical area. Some places have a CFO or such and they are MBA'ed. I think those degrees you are looking at are just Bachelor's degrees -- so I am not sure what job description that degree would qualify you for. I think you could probably get an administrative job in a hospital, sure -- like as a clerk, working in admissions, etc. but none of those types of jobs require a degree to begin with.

If you are looking at a program at a for-profit school, be very, very wary. Those career colleges generally talk up their programs to make a buck. They also inflate their employment rates after graduation from what I have read.

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Specializes in Health Information Management.

If you are looking at a program at a for-profit school, be very, very wary. Those career colleges generally talk up their programs to make a buck. They also inflate their employment rates after graduation from what I have read.

There are a great many state schools that have programs in health care administration, HIM/HIA, etc. that aren't going to charge you an insane amount of money for a degree; some respectable private schools do so as well, but the economy has hurt many such schools' ability to provide sufficient funding for students in need of aid. The for-profit "career" schools will rip you off, set you up with an utterly unmanageable debt load, lie through their teeth about placement rates, and hand you a less-than-reputable degree. The New York Times just did a terrific story about this a couple of months ago ago. Here's a link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/business/14schools.html?sq=for%20profit%20school&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1274007605-YuwQANrYEWOpmnCJ0m1M6g

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Specializes in multispecialty ICU, SICU including CV.

There was also a multi-page expose on these schools in the most recent issue of Good Housekeeping. It cited a lot of schools and programs including the University of Phoenix and Chamberlain School of Nursing. I personally wouldn't touch these programs with a 10 foot pole.

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I'm considering a masters in healthcare administration also. I just got accepted into OSU's program to start Fall 2010. I've done alot of researching and interviewing for this degree and the outlook is so great especially because of the upcoming changes to healthcare and hospitals looking to achieve magnet status. The problem is that while OSU is an accredited school, the actual program I will be starting is not nationally accredited by the CAHME (The main accrediting organization for health management). I'm not sure how important this is because there is a select few universities that actually are accredited and I would have to move states to get an accredited MHA degree. Is the program you are considering accredited? Have you researched the odds of getting a job after graduation from and unaccredited school vs one that is accredited?

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