Hospital Administrator

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.

Personal 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

How to Enter

Schooling & 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.

What to Study

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 - e.g. 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.

Employment

hospitals and clinics
private practices
state departments
laboratories
tertiary institutions such as universities

Further Information

The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA)
Riviera Road Office Park (Block C)
6 – 10 Riviera Road
Killarney, 2193
Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: (011) 551-4000
http://www.icsaglobal.org/portfolio/southern-africa/

Hospital Administrator

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