5 Traits for Effective Hospital Administrators

Hospital administrators oversee healthcare organizations. They work to improve operational efficiency and boost the company’s profit margin while still ensuring excellent patient care and worker safety. It’s a demanding career path that requires high-level leadership skills, exceptional integrity and problem-solving abilities. If you aspire to become a hospital administrator, you can earn your MS in Health Care Administration or MS in Health Informatics. Your MSHCA and MSHCI program will instill leadership skills, broaden your knowledge and give you the framework needed for success.

1. Inspirational Leadership Abilities

Hospital administrators must be capable of working with and inspiring professionals from many different backgrounds, who may have conflicting personality types. Administrators serve as liaisons to bring together department heads, medical staff and the governing board of trustees and to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Hospital administrators are also frequently responsible for establishing the mission and values of the hospital and consequently they play an important role in setting the workplace culture. Effective administrators are those who can inspire others in the organization to rally together behind the common cause and lead strategic change within health care.

2. Ethical Judgment and Decision-Making Skills

In the healthcare field, it is critically important for all staff, including administrative personnel, to strictly adhere to a high standard of professional ethics. Although administrators are responsible for enhancing the profitability of the organization, they must also prioritize patient care and safety. Sometimes, making an ethically sound decision necessitates taking a step back in terms of profits.

Along with exercising their own ethical decision-making skills, hospital administrators must clearly articulate to staff members the need for professional ethics. Administrators should demand ethical behavior across all departments.

3. Sound Communication Capabilities

It’s virtually impossible to run a hospital without good communication skills. Hospital administrators work with many people from different walks of life and with diverse personalities and it’s essential that they are capable of working well together. This necessitates strong communication skills, which includes proactive listening.

In addition, hospital administrators must often serve as negotiators. They may need to mediate disputes among departments and they may need to negotiate contracts.

4. Keen Organizational Abilities

Hospital administrators cannot be effective without excellent organizational skills. These professionals are often concerned with the “big picture.” They oversee the entire healthcare company. However, administrators must also have an eye for details. They need to understand how these smaller details fit into the big picture.

5. Proactive Risk Takers

All health care services involve some degree of risk—from medications that may cause side effects to operations that may result in life-threatening complications. The healthcare profession is keenly focused on risk management. However, it’s also important for hospital administrators to be proactive risk-takers when appropriate. Taking new business risks can position the company to enjoy growth and prosperity. Effective administrators research trends and see future possibilities to guide the direction of the organization.

You can learn how to lead your healthcare organization into the 21st century when you join the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions at Grand Canyon University. The Master in Health Care Administration and Master in Health Informatics degree program guides aspiring hospital administrators in understanding professional ethics, responsible decision-making and sustainable growth. By earning your MSHCA or MSHI online at GCU, you will benefit from the insights of your peers and instructors who are experts in their fields.