Explore jobs and outcomes for an online bachelor’s in healthcare administration
When Oregon State University alumna Meagan English reflects on her career with a degree in healthcare administration, her excitement is contagious.
“This field is perfect for those that want to make a difference for other people, have an interest in business, want to make a good living and have a huge upside for growth,” English said. “The possibilities are nearly limitless for smart, dedicated, passionate people.”
With opportunities spanning leadership, operations, quality, human resources and innovation, the world of healthcare administration offers a career path that’s as rewarding as it is expansive.
Health care settings like clinics, large hospitals and private practices all need administrators to help keep things running efficiently. And with the rapidly aging population of the United States, employment in this field is expected to increase by a staggering 29% by 2033.
“The industry needs skilled healthcare administrators to manage business operations,” said Hilary Roman, assistant director of career development with Oregon State’s College of Health. “And this degree provides students with the tools they need to adapt and thrive in leadership roles in this field.”
With a core focus on health care leadership that can help you enhance your business acumen, Oregon State’s bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration online can prepare you for exciting and impactful careers. One of the program’s most notable aspects is its origins. Whereas other programs in the United States are exclusively housed in colleges of health or human sciences, this program is grounded in collaboration between OSU’s College of Health and College of Business.
That balance of skills from health care, public health and business helps graduates to be effective in a wide range of roles. Let’s explore the many roles in the field.
Administration
This leads to curriculum that is rooted in practical application, teaching skills like healthcare quality, operations management and entrepreneurship. Administrators also spend time reviewing needs like compliance, facility efficiency and finances.
“We’re seeing very swift growth in the number of positions available for medical and health care organization managers,” shares Elizabeth Simmons, director of external communications for the OSU Career Development Center. Simmons also said program grads will be “well-prepared to improve patient care and health, and to reduce health care costs.”
As outpatient clinics and smaller practices become more common, more non-hospital settings will need administrative support. In fact, over 30% of medical and health services managers work in ambulatory health care services — facilities such as walk-in clinics, outpatient clinics, dental and therapy offices, private practices and home health care services.
Common job titles for healthcare administrators with a focus on administration include medical and health services administrator, nonprofit management, health care analyst, compliance manager, medical records manager, health care quality specialist and practice administrator.
“The industry needs skilled healthcare administrators … and this degree provides students with the tools they need to adapt and thrive in leadership roles.”
Human resources
Supporting patients also means supporting the health care workforce. If you’re more interested in the “people” aspects of healthcare administration — think staffing, training and helping employees reach their potential — you’re in luck. Healthcare administrators spend a fair amount of time on various human resources tasks, leading a team and building interpersonal relationships.
Meagan English, the alumna mentioned earlier in this story, is the Chief People Officer for Marquis Companies. With 25 years of industry experience, she leads a team that spans seven human resources departments and the organization’s nonprofit foundation. And she credits her success at Marquis to her Oregon State degree and related work experience.
“Without my experience directly in healthcare administration for so long, I would have neither the credibility that my team and I do now, nor the empathy and understanding of what they truly want and need that is supportive to their work,” English said.
Healthcare administrators who are interested in personnel-focused roles can search for positions such as nursing recruiter, human resources manager, employee performance manager, regulatory compliance manager and employee wellness officer.
Patient services
Patients come first for many in the health care industry. If that sounds like you, you’re probably drawn to healthcare administration because of its connection to supporting those in need. Administrators often find themselves striving to streamline operations to make sure providers can spend their time focused on patient care.
According to Indeed, pursuing a career related to patient health would set you up for success in the field of healthcare administration: “If you have a passion for the well-being of others, this degree can allow you to make a difference in the lives of patients and caregivers.”
Healthcare administrators who want to play a role in patient services should seek out positions like clinic director, medical office manager outpatient care supervisor, service director and assisted living residence administrator.
Bolster your healthcare administration degree
Oregon State’s online healthcare administration program requires an internship which will help you gain firsthand experience in the field and further prepare for your career.
Because a healthcare administration bachelor’s degree program has such varied applications, you can bolster your learning with a microcredential, certificate or graduate school. Some great options from Oregon State include:
- Innovative healthcare management microcredential
- Medical Spanish microcredential
- Organizational leadership undergraduate certificate
- Business and professional writing microcredential
- Leading and creating change graduate certificate
- Pharmaceutical sciences master’s degree
- Public health master’s degree
Explore Oregon State’s 100+ online degrees, certificates and microcredentials and find a program that fits with your area of interest.
So, how do you make your next move?
Request more information or connect with an Oregon State Ecampus enrollment services specialist to learn more.
