Keeping the hospital fit

There is an increasing demand for qualified hospital administrator. “The need for hospital administrators is far greater in semi-urban areas where modern facilities are not readily available,” says Dr R K Gupta, managing director of a private clinic.

Functions: Hospital administrators organise and manage personnel, equipment and auxiliary services. They are responsible for hiring and supervising personnel, handling budgets, the fee schedule to be charged to patients, and establishing billing procedures. They also assist in planning space needs, purchasing supplies and equipment, and overseeing building and equipment maintenance.

While in a small organisation, one person may run the whole show, in bigger organisations, there will be a chief administrator, an assistant administrator, an assistant administrator and a deputy administrator. Most of the above duties may also be delegated to various department heads. They, in turn, may have deputy and assistant department heads working under them.

Department heads will supervise operations in such clinical areas as surgery, nursing, therapy and high-technology areas like radiology. Others will supervise such administrative areas like purchasing, finance, house keeping and maintenance.

The hospital administrator works closely with the institution’s governing board in the development of plans. The administrator may have to carry out large projects relating to expanding and developing hospital services, fund-raising campaigns and organising new research projects.

Administrators meet regularly with staff to discuss achievements and solve the faculty’s problems. Managers may also organise training programmes for nurses and interns, along with the medical staff and department heads.

Job options: Qualified hospital administrators will find work in private, government and voluntary hospitals and in nursing homes that have sprung up in most urban areas.

The basics of the job are unlikely to vary, the amount of work will of course depend on the size of the hospital. However, there will be one basic difference, depending on where you work as each hospital has its own style of functioning.

It is unusual to finish college and step into a position as an upper-level health administrator. People must usually gain experience that qualifies them for advancement by working in more specialised clinical or administrative areas found in a hospital.

Another allied discipline is health administration, which is more macro in its approach. Whereas hospital management centres around the functioning of a hospital, those qualified in health administration will generally plan campaigns such as those to eradicate tuberculosis and the like. Graduates can find work in non-governmental organisations like the World Bank, World Heath Organisation, Ford Foundation and Oxfam.

Emoluments: Although the job is very similar to that which most MBAs do, the salary may not be at par. Even so, the package does prove to be attractive. At the entry level for a fresh graduate joining as an assistant or deputy department head, the pay packet is around Rs 6,000. And increases depending on your promotions and performance.

However, the pay is likely to vary depending on where you join. Clearly private hospitals are bound to offer more, while government hospitals will offer slightly lower than the above range in accordance with government pay scales. Experience counts for a lot in this field and those who have worked in hospitals prior to their degree may command a much higher pay.

Where to learn: After doing one’s graduation, it is possible to do a diploma or a masters degree in hospital administration. There are about 25 institutes throughout India which offer courses in this field:
In Delhi: Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University, offers a three-year part-time course in hospital administration.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences offers a two-year full-time masters, as well as a correspondence course.

Young Men’s Christian Association, Jai Singh Road, offers a one-year diplomaThe Indian Hospital Association, Sarita Vihar, offers a correspondence course.

The prominent institutes outside Delhi are Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Indian Institute of Health management and Research, Jaipur, and Nizam Institute of Management, Hyderabad, that offer a two-year masters in hospital administration while St John’s Medical College, Bangalore, offers a diploma. The entrance test is fairly similar to that of most MBA entrance examinations. You will be tested for your quantitative and written abilities, and perhaps a knowledge of hospitals. There will also be a group discussion and a personal interview.

The sky’s the limit as far as the prospects are concerned.

With the possible opening up of the insurance sector, a boom in the number of hospitals and other health care organisation is likely. There will also be a lot of money pumped into the system and almost everybody would be able demand quality health care. This is bound to result in a great demand for trained hospital administrators.

So, if you feel this is the career for you, get trained. The time you graduate is probably the time you will be needed most.

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