What Does a Hospital Administrator Do? Patient Care, Research and Medical Waste Services

A hospital administrator is the CEO of a hospital. He deals with doctors, nurses, and other medical staff, as well as the business of running a hospital effectively. Here's a more detailed description of the responsibilities of a hospital administrator.

1. Business Operations: A hospital is a business. It must sign contracts with other businesses, like medical tools and equipment companies, and medical waste services. Allocating monies is a crucial responsibility of the hospital administrator, as is organizing and eliminating messy hospital procedures. Managing computer systems and equipment is another important part of the business of a hospital.

2. Medical Team: The many doctors, nurses, surgeons, pharmacists, technicians and assistants make the hospital work. It is up to the hospital administrator to address the schedules, duties and behaviors of his staff. On large or specialized operations, the administrator often cooperates with other specialists or consultants to make sure that everything is copacetic.

3. Patients: The treatment of patients is arguably the most important part of a hospital administrator's job. It is necessary for him to try to enhance the hospital experience of every patient to be the most comfortable and efficient it can be. Fees and billing are addressed by him and if necessary, he will make rounds to patient's rooms to address special concerns.

4. Vendors: Insurance, contractors, and suppliers are all dealt with by the hospital administrator. The hospital must be stocked with medicine, food, equipment and be associated with a medical waste management company of some kind. He must be able to negotiate and deal with salesman and partners of the hospital alike.

5. Miscellaneous: There are other responsibilities a hospital administrator has that do not fall into any certain category. For example, he must report to the trustees of the hospital about procedures and reviews. He must draw new doctors and research opportunities to the hospital. And he must inspire community outreach opportunities to promote the public image of the hospital and make changes if necessary. He must ensure the hospital is a place where sick people want to go, and not a place of disorder and malcontent.

The salary of a hospital administrator is an accordance with his duties. A master's degree in health services administration is the standard level of education for most hospital administrators, although an M.B.A or even a Ph.D. is helpful. Typically administrators make upwards of $120,000 yearly. Administrators of large hospitals, which are billion dollar a year industries, can make more than a million dollars annually. This career is both socially and economically rewarding and will likely continue to increase in demand as the health care industry grows.