Health Care Administration Key Terms

Get to know the key terms for one of today's sectors that is growing strong -health care administration

Health care administration is a great field to get into in today’s world. As the population grows and ages, more health facilities are cropping up in just about every city in the country, and someone needs to manage the daily activities of the business. This is where health care administrators come into the picture. They handle everything from record keeping to hiring and HR issues to billing. If you are thinking about a career in health care administration, here are some key words every health care administrator needs to know.

 

Health care administration

Health care administration is the process of managing the day-to-day operations of health care facilities. Whether it is a neighborhood general practitioner's office or a large hospital in a metropolitan area, these businesses need a team to manage departments such as patient records, billing and accounts receivable.
Try: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website gives you a great explanation of the nature of health care administration work.

Health care administration software

To assist administrators with the task of managing the many departments within a health care facility, you may consider utilizing health care administration software to take the guesswork out of how to run the business successfully while still maintaining compliance with federal and state regulations.
Try: If you know you want health care administration software, but you aren’t sure what brand is the best for your organization, check out this comparison page on the Capterra website.

AAHAM

The American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AHAM) is the largest health care administration association in the country. They hold many events throughout the year for administrative executives, offer certifications and even offer continuing education classes for their members.
Try: Why not check out the AAHAM website directly and get all the information you need regarding this well respected health care administration association.

HIPAA

Knowing the details behind the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, is one of the most important things you will need to know regarding the field of health care administration. It is a national set of standards to protect patient records and their general medical history. One of your tasks as a health care administrator will be to ensure compliance at all times.
Try: The National Military Family Association website gives you a thorough explanation of what HIPAA is and how it affects all patients.

CPAM and CCAM

The Certified Patients Account Manager (CPAM) and Certified Clinic Account Manager (CCAM) are distinguished certifications you can receive through AAHAM to show your continuing commitment to the field of health care administration. To get these certifications, you must past examinations given by the association to test your extended knowledge of health care administration.
Try: Get more information on these important exams on this explanation page offered by the Virginia Chapter of the AAHAM. They give many reasons why receiving these certifications is a good idea for your career in health care administration.

MHA

Consider getting your Masters in Health care Administration, or MHA. Most health care facilities require at least a bachelor's degree in a health care administration or a related field, and many require a MHA for employment. This advanced degree delves deeper into the business behind health care facilities and gives you a deeper understanding of how the organizations are kept running smoothly.
Try: The University of Minnesota has a Masters in Healthcare Administration program that will get you off on the right foot. Check out this page for more details on the program.

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