A medical or health care administrator is a vitally important part of an office, working to keep records straight, appointments kept and all patients, doctors and nurses aware of medical needs and changes.

Like other office jobs, there are certain skills that should be prioritized and highly valued when looking to hire a medical administrator in order to maintain a professional, tight-run office.

If you’re looking to add to your team, here are some skills to be sure look for and list in the job description.

Education

While certifications or degrees may vary depending on the tasks they’ll be doing, at a minimum, you’ll likely want your medical administrator to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Possible specialty areas to consider include health care administration, public health administration, business administration or health information management. It’s important all candidates understand and respect, and are properly trained, the sensitive information for while they’ll be responsible. For executive-level positions, additional training or degrees, like a master’s degree, doctorate or MBA, might be required in order to properly fulfill all the assignments are responsibilities of the position.

Relevant Work Experience

You’ll want someone familiar with the language used in medical settings. Someone who has worked as a nurse or health care records clerk will be well versed in medical terminology, practices, shorthand and the codes used for various tests, procedures and examinations. Someone who has worked in a family or small practice could very well fill an administrative position, as they’re likely used to juggling many tasks at once while greeting and working with patients and providers alike; someone who has served in a management position in a health care facility also will have the skills needed to excel in an administrative role.

Strong Communication Skills

Medical offices are busy places. There are appointments to track, patient and pharmacy calls to return, other physicians and providers to bring into the conversation and a million things going on from day to day. A medical administrator needs to be able to keep all that information flowing steadily, smoothly and clearly, so everyone knows what they need to know from moment to moment. From accurately recording patient notes and properly relaying messages to keeping the rest of the staff informed and prepared for the day ahead, communication skills are critically important for medical administrators.

Top Notch Organization Skills

There are so many different data points involved in each patient’s medical history, in each appointment and from each care provider’s visit. All records must be kept neat, orderly and up to date, or someone could be prescribed medication that has negative interactions with someone else a person needs to stay healthy. Appointment calendars are constantly in flux and need to be accurate with no exceptions, with cancellations and rescheduled dates noted immediately and confirmed with patients and staff alike. If providers work in multiple locations, their assignments must be accurate at all times in order to best serve patients and to maintain full staffing at all offices. Without strong organization skills, it can all fall apart or get very sloppy very quickly. Someone who has a take-charge personality, who can quickly, deftly and accurately track all the details and ensure records are updated and schedules confirmed through the course of a day will serve patients and providers better than someone who is easily distracted or overwhelmed. Attention to detail is paramount in these environments.

Strong Background In Regulations

Medical and health care laws seem to change all the time. From what information can be provided to family members (and which ones) to what information is released to the patient or other care providers at the time of an appointment, a medical administrator needs to be on top of their game and not miss a step. Because this, area of regulation is changing all the time and might vary from county to county or state to state, administrators need to be ready to study closely state and federal laws governing medical records and practices in order to know what can and cannot be done or provided. There are also rules to follow in how the practice operates; falling out of compliance can mean fines or other problems that could hurt the practices’ reputation or a provider’s ability to practice.

A medical administrator is a key role in health care offices, no matter the size or location. Before hiring a new person to join your office, it’s important to carefully weigh out the responsibilities that will be assigned to the person in this position and determine which skills, background, training and experience will be needed for your office, then select only candidates who fit those needs.

Looking For Healthcare Professionals?

If you’d like some guidance on which skills and experiences to prioritize, or if you’re looking to fill a medical administration position quickly, call Bishop and Company. Our recruiters specialize in finding highly qualified candidates for positions, whether full- or part-time, permanent or temporary, and will work to provide you with the resumes you need. Call Bishop and Company today to get started.