A Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration is intended for individuals wanting to pursue careers dealing with the business operations of medical organizations. The degree prepares students to manage the daily operations of hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other related organizations. Students receive instruction on the fundamentals of business and the theories and practices applied to healthcare organizations. Students also gain specialized abilities that assist them with organizing employees and resources in healthcare facilities. This program enables students to concentrate on a specific area, such as personnel management, community/public health, and data analytics. Additionally, students are required to participate in professional organizations to cultivate practical learning experiences, obtain mentoring opportunities, and increase professional networking prospects. This interdisciplinary degree integrates courses from various departments at SOU including Health & Physical Education, Business, Communication, Sociology, Psychology, and Biology to give students a wide educational background necessary to succeed in this dynamic field.
Graduates are prepared to pursue various entry-level positions in many different for-profit and non-profit organizations, like hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, ambulatory care facilities, residential healthcare settings, group or private practices, health maintenance organizations, and government agencies. A Healthcare Administration degree is ideal for those seeking to pursue a lucrative career in the medical field.
Healthcare administrators plan, direct, and coordinate the medical and support services in healthcare. They are in charge of certain activities of a healthcare organization, quality assurance, finance, or other areas. They generally set up policies and procedures and implement them into departments. Administrative medical assistants typically work at the front desk of clinical offices, interacting with patients, filing medical records, and handling insurance forms.
The healthcare industry is undergoing significant growth and change and the world of medicine has never been more complex or more in need of ambitious minds. There is an increasing population that is aging and has an increased need for healthcare services. At the same time, changing technology is producing new options in diagnosing and treating patients. Hospitals are becoming larger and, in some cases, more specialized. New organizations, such as health management organizations, group practices, long-term care centers, and hospices, have formed to assist in the provision of health care services.