Hospital administrators are responsible for overseeing the personal, financial and academic particulars of doctors, staff and patients in a hospital.
They have to ensure the smooth running of the hospital, which involves ensuring an adequate supply of medicines, drugs, equipment and that there is a sufficient number of competent staff. It also involves checking that adequate finance is available to remunerate doctors, surgeons, nurses, cleaning staff, technicians and technologists.
The various departments which fall under the hospital administrator, include the finance department, which has to ensure that all debtors are invoiced, that they settle their accounts by the due date and that the hospital books are kept up to date.
The work environment is indoors in an office, hospital, clinic, private practices or training hospital. The hospital administrator will make use of telephones, cell phones, computers, cheques, receipt books, personnel files, invoices, fax machines and intercom systems.
Satisfying Aspects
- being of service to the community
- being able to advise medical staff on rules and ethics, as well as hospital protocol
- working with and leading a team of professionals
Demanding aspects
- stress and frustration when unable to stretch limited available funds
- working long and irregular hours
- problems of obtaining the services of, and being able to afford qualified and dedicated staff members
Requirements
- be emotionally well-balanced
- be responsible and organised
- be patient, tactful and empathetic
- be calm and self-disciplined
- be a good communicator
- have excellent business skills
- be ethical, reliable and trustworthy
School Subjects
National Senior Certificate meeting degree requirements for a degree course
National Senior Certificate meeting diploma requirements for a diploma course
Each institution has its own entry requirements.
Compulsory Subjects: Mathematics
Recommended Subjects: Economics, Accounting
Training
Degree: Most universities offer a BAdmin degree, alternatively a BA degree, with such majors as: Business Administration, an official language, Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Sociology, Communication, Public Administration, Political Science, Economics and/or Business Economics. Public Administration is offered at NMMU, UFH, UWC, UV and UNISA.
Diploma: Most universities of technology offer diplomas in Public Management and a CIS can be very useful in this career - eg CPUT, TUT.
Many administration officers gain skills on the job and many will be required to attend regular training courses on office procedures and information technology. Various government departments offer further in-service training.
Employer
- hospitals and clinics
- private practices
- state departments
- laboratories
- tertiary institutions such as universities
Contact
The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA)
P O Box 331
Wits, 2050
14th Floor, Sable Centre
41 De Korte Street
Braamfontein
Tel: (011) 403-2900 Fax: (011) 403-1522
Institute of Administration & Commerce of South Africa
P O Box 36477
Glosderry, 7702
252 Rosmead Avenue
Wynberg
Tel: (021) 761-6211 Fax: (086) 637-6989
www.iacsa.co.za
www.icsa.co.za