Behind the curtain: How hospital administrators can help save lives

Thanks to television shows like “ER,” “House,” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” and of course, to real-life interactions, most people are familiar with how doctors take the lead at saving lives. But while doctors and nurses are akin to frontline troops in the war against illness, to win the battles, they also need planning and support.

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This is where hospital and clinic administrators come in. Although they might not get as much screen time as doctors and nurses, these people who do much of the work behind the scenes have a critical role in connecting patients with the best possible health care.

To put it briefly, the hospital or clinic administrator’s role is to make sure that the healthcare institution is running efficiently. To be able to the job correctly, the minimum requirement is a master’s degree, and a strong background in both management and health care, to ensure that the potential administrator is familiar with the issues that one may face running a clinic and be able to deal with them.

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It is the healthcare manager’s responsibility to keep up with industry standards and laws and guarantee that the institution conforms to those. They also set budgets in order to acquire the relevant technology and medication for treating patients and to hire and retain the staff who can attend to the different requirements around the hospital. One of the administrator’s primary goals is to turn a profit, but this comes hand-in-hand with securing an environment that is conducive to providing high-quality health care and wellness.

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Clinical administrators have much to do with how patients can receive the care and treatment they need by making sure the facilities, staff, logistics, and medications are all on-the-ready. It might not be instantly obvious, but that is how healthcare managers are able to save lives from behind the curtain.

With more than 25 years of clinical management experience, Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s administrative director Candis Kinkus has gained herself a stellar reputation in the healthcare industry, as well as the respect of her peers. Follow this Facebook page for updates on healthcare technology and trends.