Managerial KSA

Question ; As the healthcare industry experiences an increased demand for administrators/managers, it is necessary to ensure those serving in these roles have the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to accomplish the strategic goals of the organization. As you prepare to move forward in your career, what have you identified, (based on research) to be the necessary KSAs to be successful in this role? Describe the impact of successful healthcare administrators (based on research) in at least one organization (direct or non-direct care).

Answer:

The healthcare industry is continuously expanding, thus creating jobs for more healthcare professionals including a demand for healthcare administrators. Healthcare Administrators play an essential role in the healthcare industry, but why chose the profession of healthcare administrator/manager? According to Buchbinder & Thompson (2010), healthcare management is one of the fastest growing career fields in the United States and is an exciting field with many opportunities for advancement (2). They do jobs including, but not limited to, budgeting, patient care, data analysis, and quality assurance and control (Slyter, 2019). It takes a fundamental set of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to complete this job to the best of its ability and to accomplish the strategic goals of the organization. KSAs of health administrators/managers may include communication skills, teamwork, planning ability, mentoring, and problem-solving skills (Slyter, 2019).  

Communication

Like with most everything, communication is key. Effective and precise communication needs to occur daily for a health administrator, especially when explaining policies, procedures, and regulations to their staff. Communication can occur face-to-face, by phone, and even by email. It is important to use precise communication to effectively express the points being mad. Administrators must be mindful not only of what they are saying, but how they are saying it. They must also use their effective communication skills when speaking with patients and patients’ family members, as well as when representing their organization by publically speaking at events.  

Teamwork

Teamwork is also a vital role of a healthcare administrator. In a healthcare organization, everyone may play different roles, but they all work together seamlessly so that the flow of the organization comes together (Popejoy, 2016).  Without teamwork, an organization would suffer greatly. A dysfunctional team and staff that do not support and trust each other may cause poor quality outcomes, missed deadlines, etc. Keeping with the theme of teamwork, healthcare administrators serve as “team captains.” They must go out of their way to help out and to ensure everyone is working together efficiently and successfully to perform tasks to the best of their ability (Slyter, 2019). .

Planning ability

Healthcare is a constantly evolving industry. In order to implement change in a timely manner, healthcare administrators must be up to date on industry knowledge and standards and a planning process must be put into place to position healthcare facilities in a rapidly changing environment. Healthcare administrators have the ability of seeing things from a broader perspective and must speculate the information in order to predict the future and develop long term plans. These choices must be in line with the organizational vision and mission, the goals to be pursued, what services will be offered and to whom, the resources that will be needed, such as people, facilities, technology, money and knowledge, and how they will be acquired (Williams, 2014).

Mentoring

Health administrators have the unique opportunity to be mentors. In a workplace setting, healthcare administrators are responsible for hiring, coaching, leading, and motivating staff members to perform their jobs to the best of their ability. As stated by Slyter, motivating and leading others often includes a kind of informal mentoring that involves both positive feedback and constructive criticism that builds confidence and cultivates trust (Slyter, 2019). Health care administrators can refresh their own motivation and enthusiasm in their career field by teaching others what they have learned over the years. Mentoring can be the most rewarding aspect of the healthcare administration.

Problem-Solving

Healthcare administrators need resourceful and keen problem-solving skills as emergency situations are bound to occur. Whether it’s a medical crisis, natural disaster, clinical issue, or an administrative conflict, doctors and other staff members turn to hospital administrators for both big and small decisions (Slyter, 2019). Administrators must react to theses situation quickly and provide a response that takes into account the well being of the entire organization and all parties that are involved. Slyter states, the best administrators are able to sense when something is likely to go wrong or already amiss before a crisis even occurs; this prepares them to start brainstorming solutions sooner and minimizing damage (Slyter, 2019). Administrators must readily take responsibly for the success of decisions made, as well as the failures. 

As discussed, as the healthcare industry continuously grows and expands, more healthcare jobs will be available including jobs in healthcare administration. The knowledge, skills, and abilities of a successful healthcare administrator are not always that of second nature, but can be learned and trained. Successfully running a healthcare facility is no small task; it takes a unique mix of attributes. Healthcare administrators are well-rounded individuals. Some of the best healthcare administrators excel in communication, teamwork, planning ability, mentoring, and problem solving; but the list could go on and on. Fortunately, there will always be a need for great healthcare administrators. These administrators must continuously put effort into furthering their knowledge, skills, and abilities in order to keep up and to be equipped for the demand of the industry. As best stated by Buchbinder & Thompson (2010), if you are willing to study and work hard, the dynamic field of healthcare management might just be the career for you (13). 

We must me equipped for every good work. Best stated in scripture from 2 Timothy 3:16-17, all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.