Explore These 5 Areas of Expertise Within Healthcare Management
- Regulatory
- Insurance
- Technology Systems
- Facility
- Patient Outcomes
People who earn a degree in healthcare administration and management may want to enter one of these five areas of expertise within healthcare management. Entering an area of expertise usually requires taking some additional courses in particular areas, such as information technology or business administration. Choosing one of these five areas of expertise within healthcare management could help a person gain plenty of personal and professional satisfaction from their career.
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1. Regulatory
Regulatory affairs is a critical area of healthcare management. Healthcare facilities must abide by a long list of local, state and federal regulations. Facilities that receive Medicare, Medicaid or other public funding also have to maintain extensive documentation in order to prove that they are in compliance with all of the applicable regulations. A person who chooses a specialty in regulatory affairs within healthcare administration would work closely with lawyers, other administrators, the facility’s board of directors and government officials.
2. Insurance
Insurance is another key area of expertise in healthcare management. The American healthcare system is inherently complicated because of the myriad ways of billing and paying for healthcare services. Navigating the insurance requirements for billing, pre-approval, negotiation of amounts due and other aspects of getting and distributing payment for services rendered is a time-consuming and complicated process. Healthcare managers who work in the insurance area may communicate with patients in order to let them know what their amount due will be and may negotiate payments.
3. Technology Systems
People who enjoy technology, research, analysis, and evaluation may want to specialize in technology systems within healthcare management. This area involves the selection of software and hardware for use in healthcare facilities. It also includes ensuring that patient data is kept confidential and that the agency adheres to all regulations regarding data, such as HIPAA. Mangers who work in the technology systems of healthcare administration at large facilities may partner with their information technology specialists, website designers, billing department, insurance administrators and others who also have a vested interest in the facility’s technology and electronic systems.
4. Facility
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one of the primary duties of a person in healthcare management is to track the use of the facility. People who specialize in facilities management at healthcare facilities should be familiar with arranging for maintenance and repairs of essential equipment, such as surgical robots or water heaters. They should also be familiar with the required maintenance, repair, and replacement schedules. These activities ensure that the facility will be safe for patients, guests, and employees.
5. Patient Outcomes
Healthcare managers and administrators may also want to specialize in the area of patient outcomes and evaluations. A person who chooses this specialty will work closely with nursing administrators, infection control practitioners, data analysts, and physician administrators. They might conduct in-house surveys or studies in order to measure patient safety and satisfaction with healthcare services. They may also take a look at patient healthcare records in order to determine their readmission rate, complications rate or other types of patient outcomes for the people who use their facilities.
Choosing an area of specialty within healthcare management can be difficult. Candidates might want to consider their preferences for working with numbers, equipment, people or other factors when making this type of a decision. Each of these five areas of expertise within healthcare management offers opportunities for personal growth and professional success.