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Hospital Management and Administration after 12th Arts
A career in Hospital Management and Administration
Like every other sector, even hospitals need management for them to run smoothly and efficiently. India needs top-notch hospital managers for its healthcare programs to run well and benefit all
Start Early
10+2 level is the earliest level when you can make a beeline toward this profession. It is desirable to have organizational skills that will help you guide you toward this particular career path later on in life.
Introduction
Medical establishments such as hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, and so on are looked upon as edifices of hope by the diseased and the ill. Like any other business, medical establishments are organized institutions. They follow complex processes and need efficient manpower to manage these processes.
Hospital management and administration are concerned with the organization, coordination, planning, staffing, evaluating, and controlling of health services for the masses. The primary objective is to provide quality healthcare to people and that too in a cost-effective manner. Professional hospital administrators have proven how institutions can be managed proficiently, economically, and successfully in a given period.
There has been seen remarkable growth in the hospital industry in India, which has led to a great demand and popularity of hospital management-related courses. The requirement for professional administrators in hospitals is growing briskly mostly because the nature of work in hospitals is quite different from other organizations. Hospitals are expected to deliver quality service 24 x 7 x 365.
The urgent nature of its work and the level of efficiency that is expected have increased the need for well-formulated hospital management courses. Further, various educational institutes have started offering hospital administration courses in India. What’s more, a career in hospital management helps you to achieve two goals in life, namely: a good pay package and service to mankind.
Step-by-Step
Every sphere of work demands a specialist and the hospital industry is no different. Earlier senior doctors were responsible to perform the role of a hospital manager apart from their normal medical duties. However, times have changed. Earlier there were just hospitals. Now, hospitals themselves have been categorized as ordinary hospitals, specialty, and super specialty hospitals.
Moreover, there is a manifold increase in the complexity and processes that take place in the successful management of a modern-day hospital. This in turn has to led to a tremendous demand for efficient professionals who can handle the day-to-day chores of hospital management and administration. Highly trained professionals are needed for the smooth operation of a hospital.
The first step for a successful career in hospital management and administration is to earn an undergraduate degree in Hospital Administration. For a bachelor’s in Hospital Administration (BHA), you need to complete 10+2 with a total of 50% marks and biology as a compulsory subject. For a postgraduate degree in Hospital Administration (MHA), you have to be a graduate in any stream. This program is available for both medical and non-medical students.
Some institutes offer certificate and diploma courses in hospital management, you can also pursue short–term, distance learning courses in this regard. The Indian Society of Health Administrators (ISHA) offers a one-year distance learning program in hospital administration and nursing administration. On the other hand, the Tamil Nadu Open University offers a two-year distance learning MBA course in Hospital Administration.
Is it the right career for me?
To be a successful professional in this field you should have a service-oriented bent of mind and the capacity to work for long hours. Furthermore, you must have a high emotional quotient to survive the highly charged atmosphere of a hospital.
Other essential traits include the skill to take swift decisions, a friendly approach towards work, and the ability to handle work pressure and the public at large. Also, if you possess the ability to cope with deadlines, and have excellent communication skills and leadership qualities then this is the right career for you.
What would it Cost Me?
The annual fee for the three-year BHA program is approximately Rs. 40,000. On the other hand, the cost of pursuing an MHA is about Rs. 10,000 per semester with four semesters making up the two-year course duration.
This is the average cost that you will have to dish out to pursue an undergraduate or a post-graduate program in hospital management and administration. However, the actual expenses may vary from institution to institution.
Funding/Scholarship
Various state governments extend scholarships for SC/ST/BC students. The criteria for fee waivers, scholarships, and financial aid is as per the prescribed norms of the respective academies.
Job Prospect
The importance of health care can never shrink and the number of institutes providing health care is only increasing. There are more than two and a half lakhs health care institutes that require quality hospital administrators and managers in India
The growing need for high professionalism would only increase the importance of hospital management courses in India. Along with the government, various private hospitals are today competing with each other to provide first-class health care services to the masses across the country. In this respect, the demand for professional hospital administrators is rising tremendously.
Pay Packet
The salary of an administrator working for a medium-grade hospital is around Rs.30,000 per month. The annual remuneration of an administrator in a super specialty 1000-bed hospital can easily go into lakhs of rupees.
Demand and Supply
The healthcare concept in India has undergone tremendous change in recent years. People have become increasingly aware of the importance of healthcare and this has led to higher expectations and increased demand for high-quality medical care and facilities.
A large number of private hospitals and clinics have come up all over the country. With increasing emphasis on the quality of health care and patient satisfaction, there is a remarkable need for persons with professional qualifications in hospital management.
Market Watch
The government of India is making special and concerted efforts in providing health care in both rural and urban areas of the country. With more and more private players also entering the hospital industry the demand for efficient administrators and managers is bound to go higher and higher.
There is massive growth especially in super specialty hospitals due to which the demand for hospital managers and administrators has immensely increased. Moreover, a professional course in hospital management not only opens the door for various big and small hospitals but also for corporate, private, and public sectors.
International Focus
The sector also offers prospects of global recognition with medical tourism becoming more widespread. If you’re talented and demonstrate a good work ethic, you can advance quickly. There is no limit to where your dreams and ambitions can take you in the exciting world of hospital management and administration.
Positives/Negatives
+ives
• In the role of a hospital manager or administrator you will get to meet a vast array of people in your line of duty.
• You will have the satisfaction of running an establishment where people come to regain their health.
-ives
• It’s a difficult job as keeps you on your toes most of the time.
• Intense work pressure is a part and parcel of this job profile.
Different Names&Different Roles
While medical graduates generally take care of the more technical aspects of hospital administration, non-medical graduates handle the operational aspects. The tasks would typically involve managing the staff, health services, technology decisions, IT management, and working under a given budget.
You can work as a hospital superintendent, deans or directors of medical colleges, medical director, nursing director, and so on. Other roles include head of departments and administrators with substantial managerial responsibilities. A hospital manager will be in charge of the overall organization and management of the hospital to ensure its smooth functioning.
Top Companies
1. Government and private hospitals
2. Health agencies, laboratories, and clinics
3. National and international healthcare organizations
4. Health insurance companies
5. Medical colleges and institutions
6. Healthcare centers and nursing homes
7. Mental health organizations
8. Public health departments and rehabilitation centers
9. Pharmaceuticals and hospital supply firms
10. Medical software companies and hospital consulting firms
Tips for Getting Hired
For a career in hospital administration, you should possess some unique qualities such as an innovative attitude, responsibility, self-motivation, and selfless devotion toward humanity.
As health services and medical managers are responsible for hundreds of employees and very expensive equipment and facilities, you should be able to make effective decisions, interpret data and understand information systems and finance.
A post-graduate degree or an MBA in this field is desirable.
Since you will be dealing with people all the time you must have strong communication skills.
