Description
As the healthcare industry experiences an increased demand for administrators/managers, it is necessary to ensure those serving in these roles have the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to accomplish the strategic goals of the organization. As you prepare to move forward in your career, what have you identified, (based on research) to be the necessary KSAs to be successful in this role? Describe the impact of successful healthcare administrators (based on research) in at least one organization (direct or non-direct care).
for first response
Healthcare administrators and managers are a vital part of the healthcare delivery system. The first healthcare administrator program was founded in 1934 at the University of Chicago (Buchbinder & Thompson, 2010). It was thought that hospital managers needed more formal training in order to adequately serve their hospital or healthcare facility. With one of every 10 persons in the United States employed in some kind of healthcare setting, it is necessary that those leading have the proper knowledge and skills to run the healthcare facilities (Buchbinder & Thompson, 2010). According to Knorring et al, (2016), the role of a healthcare administrator was long thought be that of someone who just does administrative task, more recently, the roles of the healthcare administrator have shifted into that of someone who is essential to the function of the facility and the staff who they serve (p. 422). Within the last 30 years the role of healthcare mangers and administrators have changed drastically. What was once thought as being someone who merely does everyday task, is now someone who ensures responsibility for the healthcare delivery system. Knorring et al, (2016) concluded that management in healthcare settings are needed to ensure effective leadership and clear accountability for decision making (p.422). It is easy to see why the role and responsibility is so important to the make up of a healthcare setting. In order to do the job of healthcare administrator effectively it is important to have the skills and knowledge to do the job accurately.
When thinking about the skills that go into making a good healthcare manager, there are many factors that one must consider. According to Buchbinder & Thompson, (2010) experience, education, and people skills can make you a good boss but there are many other things that need to be evaluated. Knowledge of business, law, organizational behavior, organizational design, and strategic management are all necessary to understand in order to be effective in the role of healthcare administrator (Buchbinder & Thompson, 2010). Along with the knowledge of different areas that make up the field of healthcare management and administration, there are many unique skills sets that need to be acquired. Skills such as leadership, interpersonal skills, teamwork, managerial ethics, professional development, cultural competence, and continued learning are all essential to the role of healthcare administrator (Buchbinder & Thompson, 2010).
Seeing all the skills and knowledge that go into the field of healthcare administration, it is necessary to see what has led to the need for such intensive education and evaluation of skill sets. According to Hooker & Browne, (2016) for years, there was no formal training for careers in healthcare administration (p. 64). Instead of formal education, there were multiple years of on-the-job trainings that were required to be considered a healthcare administer (Hooker & Browne, 2016, p.64). As the complexity of the healthcare system changed, so did the requirements of education for healthcare administrator professionals. Those pursing a career in healthcare administration were then required to complete education from a certified of accrediting college (Hooker & Browne, 2016). The courses at the colleges gave perspective healthcare managers the knowledge and skills to succeed in the field of healthcare.
In the article written by Bilynska et al. (2020), a study was done to determine the training needs of healthcare managers and administrators. The participants (healthcare managers) of the study were given a survey that asked them what they thought they were lacking on in the field of healthcare (Bilynska et al., 2020 p. 192). The study concluded that most participants thought that they lacked skills and knowledge related to leadership, communication management, time management, stress management, self-management, psychological aspects of healthcare management, along with many others (Bilynska et al, 2020 p.196).
After concluding my research of the roles and knowledge that are necessary to be a successful healthcare administrator, I found many skills and areas of expertise that are essential to having a successful career as a healthcare manager. A professional in the field of healthcare must possess people skills and the ability to communicate both written and verbally. As well as time management skills, self-reflection skills, leadership and management skills, interpersonal skills, and many more. As far as knowledge goes, a successful healthcare administrator should have knowledge of business, law, behaviors, design, etc. These skills and knowledge are essential to keeping a healthcare facility running and to provide successful management to the individuals a healthcare manager serves.
Although skills and knowledge are essential in any kind of healthcare facility, administrators are essential when dealing with direct care facilities and staff. Administrators need to be very hands on in direct care facilities for it to run successful and provide patient satisfaction. Skills that are necessary to be successful in direct care are very similar to those skills that any administrators need to have. Leadership, interpersonal skills, teamwork, managerial ethics, professional development, cultural competence, and continued learning are all essential to the role of healthcare administrator (Buchbinder & Thompson, 2010) are all what help administrators keep a direct care facility running smoothly and what make an administrator successful.
While completing this research, I was reminded of two verse from the bible. The first being form 2 Peter 3:18 But grown in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen (The Holy Bible, 2011). This reminded me of how administrator need to grow in faith and knowledge in order to be successful. The second verse came form Jeremiah 12:2, You have planted them, and they have taken root, they grow and bear fruit (The Holy Bible, 2011). This reminds me of how a good and successful administrator can impact the people they serve. Overall, to be a successful healthcare administrator there are many levels of education that one must obtain as well as a variety of knowledge and skills that are essential to direct and indirect healthcare facilities.
KSA
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 32 percent from 2019 to 2029 (Bureau of Labor, n.d). This is much faster than the average growth for other occupations. The demand for medical and health services managers is a result of many factors such as the aging population, the shift from inpatient to outpatient care and innovations in technology. Ensuring this workforce is equipped with administrators/managers that have the knowledge, skills and abilities to accomplish the goals of organizations is paramount. Health service mangers need to meet the complex challenges within the healthcare industry to succeed and to help the organization succeed. To do so, there are knowledge, skill and ability sets that have been identified as crucial to this success.
Knowledge
First, we will discuss the knowledge necessary for health care management professionals. There are two types of knowledge, explicit and tacit. When researching knowledge management, these two types of knowledge can be expanded upon but for this discussion, the two types discussed here are the most relevant. Explicit knowledge is knowledge that is easily written down, articulated, recorded and shared. It is knowledge that is stored. Explicit knowledge is gained through schooling and training. Graduates of health care management (HCMN) programs must possess the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance the management and delivery of health services and to serve as future leaders for healthcare organizations in a changing healthcare market (Buchbinder et al., 2010). The curriculum incorporates several disciplines to approach health care management. The curriculum includes public health, health services research, finance and management as well as sociological, political and economic orientations. At the core of HCMN programs are the study liberal arts and general education requirements. This includes written and oral communication skills, mathematics, critical thinking and societal context such as historical, philosophical and social foundations. Buchbinder et al., (2010) state that general education requirements are designed to help students gain essential intellectual skills and knowledge that will be important throughout their lives, not just in an occupation. Tacit knowledge, described by Polanyi, is inseparable from explicit knowledge. Terms like skills, intuition, know-how, procedural knowledge, implicit knowledge, unarticulated knowledge, and practical or experiential knowledge have all been used to describe tacit knowledge (Kothari et al., 2012). Tacit knowledge refers to knowledge gained from personal experience and context. It includes information and behaviors learned through everyday life. Tacit knowledge is also referred to as knowledge in practice as it is developed from direct experiences. Tacit knowledge is subconsciously understood and applied making it difficult to articulate. In one study, Kothari et al., (2012) discusses participants who expressed the benefits of utilizing explicit and tacit knowledge together to complement and inspire considerations, decisions and directions.
Skills & Abilities
There are numerous articles, websites and blogs with varying opinions on the skills and abilities necessary to be successful in the health care management role. Many shared similar ideas. A few areas discussed are knowledge of healthcare environment and infrastructure, business management, leadership skills and communication skills. Knowledge of the healthcare environment and infrastructure can be found across the board as a necessary skill. This is a foundational requirement. A few examples of knowledge of the healthcare environment include knowing medical terminology, managed care models, and levels of healthcare. Knowledge about infrastructure includes understanding the institutions processes, structure and organization. An awareness of medical equipment, functions, options available allow the manager to utilize, recommend and take advantage of resources appropriately. Related to this is the need for business skills and knowledge. This includes financial management, human resources management, strategic planning, risk management etc. Leadership skills were mentioned in a variety of ways, with varying definitions and abilities encompassed with it. Leadership is defined by the American College of Health Executives as the ability to inspire individual and organizational excellence, create a shared vision and successfully manage change to attain the organizations strategic ends and successful performance (ACHE, n.d). Leadership also includes the skills of emotional intelligence. This means to control their emotions, maintain and project resilience and courage, withhold judgement and be sensitive to a variety of forms of context/content, cultural backgrounds and circumstances around them (Harrison et al., 2019). Being a leader means modeling behavior. If the manager wants to modify or change the organization, initially he/she should start with herself/himself. Hebrews 13:7 (ESV), states, Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Finally, another skill and ability frequently mentioned is communication and relationship management. It was considered to be a fundamental requirement and a basic aspect of success in a management position (Barati et al., 2016). Communication is key to any kind of success and is more than being able to communicate clearly and concisely. Being able to properly communicate with other staff members, providers and patients establishes and maintains relationships and creates constructive interactions.
Teamwork
There is a lot of truth behind the old saying, teamwork makes the dream work. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV) states, Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand hima threefold cord is not quickly broken. Teamwork has been recognized as an essential tool in effective, patient centered care. Effective teams can improve care at the level of the organization, the team itself as a whole, the individual team member and the patient (Babiker et al., 2014). Health care managers and administrators are responsible for fostering a team environment where teamwork thrives. It is also their responsibility to problem solve and create solutions if teamwork is not effective within their department. The benefits of effective teamwork can be seen within the organization, the team, the patients and team members. Babiker et al., (2014) highlight the key benefits to effective teamwork within these areas. Organizational benefits of effective teamwork include reduction in unexpected admissions, costs of hospitalization and reduced time for hospitalization. Team benefits include improved coordination of care for patients and a more efficient use of healthcare services. Team members experience enhanced job satisfaction and well-being as well as greater role clarity from effective teamwork. Finally, patients are found to more readily accept treatment provided, experience improved outcomes with reduced errors and overall enhanced satisfaction of care.