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Do you have a strong interest in both business and healthcare? Did you know you can combine these interests and earn an MBA in Healthcare Administration? This type of MBA program helps you develop business skills and gain the knowledge you might need to pursue a management position in the healthcare industry. Learning more about an MBA in Healthcare Administration program can help you decide if this is a good educational choice for you based on your interests and career goals.

What Is an MBA in Healthcare Administration?

An MBA in Healthcare Administration provides an education in business and healthcare. This combination could help you prepare to take on a leadership role in the healthcare industry, such as a hospital administrator. Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals can earn an MBA in Healthcare Administration if they plan to work toward a more senior or advanced role in a healthcare setting. When you participate in an MBA in Healthcare Administration program, you will have the opportunity to learn how to lead others in a healthcare facility and collaborate with communities or other professionals to improve patient care. You will also be exposed to course materials on ethical, regulatory, and legal issues that are specific to the healthcare industry.

The requirements for admission to this type of program vary by school. Typically, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution is required for admission, with many colleges and universities also requiring some work experience for admittance to an MBA program.

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How Do Healthcare Administration MBA Programs Differ from Traditional MBAs?

Healthcare administration MBA programs and traditional MBAs have certain elements in common, covering topics such as business principles, leadership skills, and other relevant business knowledge. However, healthcare administration MBAs focus specifically on managing or leading within a healthcare setting, such as a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office. Materials will cover topics like managing healthcare professionals and handling challenges that can come up in the healthcare industry, such as ethical conflicts. You will also have the opportunity to develop the skills needed for making evidence-based decisions that affect healthcare systems and services.

A traditional MBA program teaches more general skills and knowledge that can be applied to a wide range of business settings. With a traditional MBA program, you will not gain the skills and knowledge pertaining specifically to a career in healthcare administration.

Is an MBA in Healthcare Administration Better Than a Master of Health Administration?

Different business careers in healthcare demand different college degrees. While both an MBA in Healthcare Administration program and a Master of Health Administration (MHA) program can provide an extensive and advanced healthcare business education, each of these degrees has its own areas of emphasis.

An MBA in Healthcare Administration is centered on strong core business principles with a supplemental area of concentration on the healthcare sector. It stresses finance, marketing, growth strategy, and other fundamental business subjects with an eye toward how they can be applied in the world of healthcare.

An MHA, by contrast, is entirely centered in the field of healthcare administration and designed for students who are firmly committed to a career in this field and prefer a specialized curriculum that delves deeply into it. Covering the many complexities of healthcare work, a quality MHA program will span areas that range from public health policy to medical ethics.

It is crucial to thoroughly research and compare the programs you are considering. Look at the curriculum, faculty expertise, industry connections, internship opportunities, and alumni networks. Consider speaking with professionals who have pursued each degree to gain insights into their experiences and career outcomes. Making an informed decision based on your individual goals and preferences will help you determine which degree is better suited for you.

What Are the Benefits of an MBA in Healthcare Administration Over an MHA?

While it offers exceptional insights into the healthcare industry specifically, an MBA in Healthcare Administration is far more versatile than an MHA. If you have a strong interest in business and want to keep your options open for management positions in other industries, an MBA with a healthcare specialization is undoubtedly the best choice.

If you are wondering what you can do with an MBA in healthcare, the answer depends on what you would like it to do. An MBA in Healthcare Administration can give you the healthcare-focused business leadership and management skills that hospitals, physicians’ offices, health insurance companies, and other types of healthcare organizations may be looking for. With the growing demand for skilled professionals in the healthcare industry and the increased need for high-quality healthcare services, there is no shortage of positions available for ambitious people who have earned an MBA in Healthcare Administration. Whether you are interested in managing healthcare professionals or serving more of a consultant role in the healthcare industry, you could find a career path that fits your goals.

Healthcare MBA Courses

As noted above, an MBA education offers a base in fundamental business instruction that is lacking in most MHA programs. But an MBA with a concentration in healthcare from a high-quality school will root foundational business training and theory within the world of healthcare.

For example, the Post University online MBA in Healthcare Administration curriculum includes courses such as…

  • Financial and Managerial Accounting
  • Healthcare Marketing
  • Statistics for Healthcare Administration
  • Healthcare Financial Management
  • Healthcare Information Resources Management
  • Healthcare Strategic Management
  • Risk Management for Healthcare Organizations
  • Human Resource Management
  • Performance Improvement in Healthcare

In short, a good MBA in Healthcare Administration provides advanced healthcare industry-focused business training that is both solid and in-depth. If expertise in the healthcare business is what you are seeking, an MBA in Healthcare Administration is worth considering.

Healthcare MBA Requirements

Most MBA programs expect prospective students to have an undergraduate-level understanding of basic business subjects before applying. This typically means that applicants are required to hold a Bachelor of Arts (BA), a Bachelor of Science (BS), or an equivalent degree with a major in business, management, or a similar field. MBA programs with concentrations in healthcare may also give special consideration to applicants with professional, volunteer, or extracurricular experience in areas that relate to business in general and the healthcare sector in particular.

While no two healthcare administration-focused MBA programs are exactly the same, this degree requires significant personal and academic investments because it serves as a widely known and trusted mark of high capability and thorough training in the field of healthcare business management.

Most MBA programs take two years or more to complete. Although it follows a comprehensive curriculum that requires 36 credits to graduate, the MBA in Healthcare Administration at Post University is designed to be completed in fewer than 24 months. In fact, many students who are driven finish their MBA in even less time; especially when they take advantage of the SimPath option which allows the course to be completed in a shorter amount of time. Among other factors, the program’s accelerated pace is due to its flexibility and convenience. Post students can choose between a traditional education delivery method that is term-based or a more versatile method that makes innovative use of virtual simulations. In both cases, students complete a practical, practice-focused curriculum entirely online with no mandatory login times. Before graduating with an MBA in Healthcare Administration, students are required to demonstrate proficiency in the following areas:

  • Leading and collaborating with other professionals and communities in planning, providing, and improving healthcare services and systems.
  • Managing the performance of healthcare professionals in diverse organizational environments.
  • Integrating multiple functional and professional perspectives to create innovative solutions to complex problems.
  • Using theoretical knowledge and contemporary research for evidence-based decision-making.
  • Leading others in the promotion of accountability, responsibility, and stewardship for an organization’s actions and judgments.
  • Addressing the legal, regulatory, and ethical challenges of the healthcare industry.

How to Prepare for a Career in Healthcare Administration

Beyond earning an MBA with a concentration in healthcare administration, there are several things you can do to further your command of the general business and industry-specific skills that every competent healthcare administrator needs. First and foremost, you should take advantage of every opportunity to develop essential skills in areas such as leadership and analytical decision-making. These skills will prove indispensable in the professional business environment, so sharpening them by volunteering with various groups and participating in extracurricular activities is essential.

A great way to hone specific skills in the healthcare sector is by completing an internship or working part-time with an organization that focuses on your areas of interest and expertise. Getting real-world experience in the field is also a great way to start networking. In fact, there are many ways to start building an interpersonal network with the potential to pay serious professional dividends. Consider attending healthcare conferences, joining appropriate industry groups, and taking advantage of all the alumni networking programs and events that your college or university offers.

What Are Some Healthcare Administration Careers?

With the firm foundation of skills and knowledge that an MBA in Healthcare Administration represents, you can open the door to countless career paths in the healthcare industry. Here are just a few potential healthcare MBA jobs to consider:

Healthcare Administrator – Healthcare administrators utilize both business leadership and healthcare-related skills to manage clinics, hospitals, medical offices, and other healthcare facilities. These professionals perform several important tasks as part of their day-to-day job, such as keeping up with regulatory changes in the healthcare industry, overseeing billing and other finances, working with doctors on employee schedules, hiring new employees, and preparing budgets for various departments.

Health administrators are responsible for staying up to date on laws and regulations in the healthcare field, as well as on the technology used for managing and overseeing medical facilities. These administrators spend a lot of time collaborating with other healthcare professionals, including nurses, medical technicians, doctors, and surgeons.

Healthcare Consultant – Healthcare consultants play a vital role in helping healthcare facilities improve their services. These consultants are not directly responsible for overseeing changes and improvements or implementing new policies. Instead, they serve as a guide for administrators and managers who are looking for ways to run healthcare facilities more efficiently. Healthcare consultants offer advice and recommendations on managing personnel and finances and handling other tasks that are part of overseeing healthcare settings.

Healthcare consultants need to develop strong analytical skills that allow them to evaluate problems in relevant healthcare settings and devise viable solutions. This involves gathering the information they need and interacting with staff and other personnel to understand the challenges these facilities are facing. Consultants then present their findings and discuss potential solutions with healthcare facility management.

Clinician Leader – Clinician leaders are often doctors, nurses, or other healthcare professionals who take on leadership positions at healthcare facilities. These leaders focus on coming up with ways to improve healthcare services while keeping the facility running smoothly and efficiently. Clinician leaders must have strong decision-making and leadership skills to handle this kind of position. The tasks they are expected to perform on a regular basis can range from managing staff and handling personnel conflicts to dealing with financial problems or other crises that occur. Clinician leaders make decisions that have an impact on an entire facility, which makes it important for them to have solid business leadership skills, as well as in-depth knowledge of challenges and issues in the healthcare field.

How Do I Choose an MBA in Healthcare Administration Program?

Here are just a few criteria to keep in mind while weighing the pros and cons of various MBA programs, healthcare-focused or otherwise:

Program Format

Pay close attention to the associated benefits and drawbacks of online and on-campus MBA programs. On-campus programs may present more readily available opportunities for professional networking. On the other hand, online classes provide the kind of flexibility that can make balancing school and a job much easier.

Location

While fully online MBA programs eliminate the need to look for instruction close to home, students should bear in mind any healthcare industry regulations that may vary from state to state, particularly if they plan to concentrate on more technical areas of healthcare administration. Check with relevant state licensing authorities to ensure that your chosen program will meet your eligibility needs.

Accreditation

A grant of accreditation gives prospective students and future employers assurance that a learning institution and its programs are meeting or exceeding existing quality standards.

Cost

Like any investment, an education is generally expected to benefit those who complete it. Look for affordable online options are run a cost/benefit analysis to ensure that your MBA is worth it.

Career Services

While many colleges and universities offer ample career services to graduating students, many others do not. If you plan to avail yourself of your school’s career support services, be it resume assistance or interview practice, verify the school you’re considering even offers them.

Why Earn Your MBA in Healthcare from Post?

The MBA in Healthcare Administration online program at Post University allows you to earn your MBA in less than two years, or you can work at a slower pace to meet your time constraints and personal limitations. Created with guidance from top healthcare organizations, our curriculum is practice-focused to build real-world healthcare administration skills.

Thank you for reading! The views and information provided in this post do not reflect Post University programs and/or outcomes directly. If you are interested in learning more about our programs, you can find a complete list of our programs on our website or reach out directly!

Please note jobs and/or career outcomes highlighted in this blog do not reflect jobs or career outcomes expected from any Post program. To learn more about Post’s program and their outcomes, please fill out a form to speak with an admissions advisor.