Category Archives: Hospital Administrator

What is “The Scranton Domino Effect”? Alumni Unite for a Common Mission.

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Marie Yezzo ’01 calls it “the Scranton domino effect.”

As the vice president for professional support services at WMC-Health, a health care network in the Hudson Valley in New York that serves more than 3.5 million patients, she started hosting graduate students in Scranton’s Master of Health Administration program for their residency training five years ago. And she witnessed one Scranton graduate after another impress the hospital staff and go on to earn a full-time job in departments across the health system.

A few have moved on to other hospitals, but five of those Royals remain: Jack Burtis ’15, G’18, Brittany Drake-Koo G’11, Sahar Malek ’10, G’12, Robert Patella G’17 and Connor Shanahan ’15, G’16, all working alongside Yezzo and Elissa Chessari ’02, who is the vice president of operations for Westchester Medical Center, the network’s flagship hospital. These are just seven of the Scranton alumni at WMCHealth using their Jesuit education to make an impact in health care.

The Mission

For Chessari, the mission of WMCHealth resonates with her values and harks back to her years at Scranton.

“Our mission statement at Westchester Medical Center is to provide the highest quality of care, regardless of ability to pay, and that is what initially drew me (here),” she said. “I suspect that this mission is what attracts and retains so many other Scranton alums.”

Yezzo credits the strong network among Scranton health care administration alumni for bringing each of these graduates to WMCHealth. A biology major with a minor in business while she was an undergraduate at Scranton, Yezzo sees similarities in how both she and her colleagues from Scranton’s MHA program approach their day-to-day work.

“We didn’t all go to school (at Scranton) at the same time or even cross paths until we started working at Westchester Medical Center. I’m not sure if it was coincidence or divine intervention,” she said.

“We use our Scranton educations to treat others, both co-workers and patients, as we would want to be treated. Seeing our impact is the best part. Some of us have been with the organization for more than 10 years. We have been part of major construction projects, programmatic development and various initiatives from design to completion.”

Essential Indirect Care

Although, as administrators, the alumni are not providing direct patient care, each is impacting the lives of patients.

“While most on my team are not involved in direct patient care, we support the bedside care providers,” Chessari said. “We work hard to find enhancements to operational efficiency and improvements in processes and business initiatives, which translates into better patient care and better outcomes.”

Patella works as a financial analyst at Bon Secours Charity Health System, a group of three hospitals that are part of WMCHealth.

“I am helping the organization to reduce labor expenses, manage valuable resources and improve departmental performance,” said Patella, a 2017 MHA graduate. “At Scranton, I learned a lot about time management, personal brand management and managing conflict within a team, which I use in my day-to-day work.”

Burtis helps make decisions that lead to better patient outcomes in his role as a revenue integrity analyst. He earned his MHA from Scranton in 2018, after completing his undergraduate degree in 2015.

“I work alongside our revenue cycle team to improve processes and develop tools to help ensure accurate billing for services provided by our network’s physician group,” he said. “I love the challenge and the novelty of my work. No two days are the same in health care. There are always new challenges that really require you to think and problem-solve on your own.”

Similarly, Shanahan relishes the fast-paced environment in his job as the manager of the outpatient department clinics and AIDS care center.

“Health care is a growing industry, and the connections I made at Scranton allowed me to not only understand the potential opportunity in the field, but also allowed me to capitalize on starting a career in such a fast-paced industry at a great place like Westchester Medical Center,” he said. “Working with the many groups and departments within Westchester Medical Center on a daily basis can be challenging, because everyone has different desires and needs. But remembering that we are all working toward the same goal — providing the best possible patient experience — helps us work together to get the job done.”

The WMCHealth network also employs numerous Scranton graduates from the nursing programs, in addition to these health administration alumni. And their colleagues say the Scranton graduates stand out in their contributions to the health system.

“There is a learning curve for anyone who joins a network of the size and complexity of the WMCHealth,” said Anthony Costello, the senior vice president of professional and support services and the supervisor of many of the Scranton MHA alumni. “We’ve often found degree holders from The University of Scranton well prepared to handle the ever-evolving dynamics of a regional health care provider.”

The Network

As Yezzo pointed out, these Scranton alumni are ready to tackle the challenges in the health care field not only because of their rigorous Jesuit education in health administration but also because of the strength and support of the Scranton network. The Health Administration Alumni Council is a major part of that network.

Active since 2014, the Health Administration Alumni Council has built a thriving mentorship program between alumni and current students while celebrating the professional achievements of its alumni, both informally and with the annual Daniel J. West Award for early career success.

Alumni engage in a LinkedIn group and meet annually at the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Congress on Health Care Leadership in Chicago. The council is also involved in planning the Annual Healthcare Symposium on campus in Scranton.

Jonathan Forte ’07, G’09, the vice president of the Health Administration Alumni Council, emphasized how much the alumni council wants to support current students. “Every job that I’ve ever received is a result of some connection that I’ve made as a result of networking or mentorship, and all of that started for me as a student at The University of Scranton — relying on the professional network of my professors and guest speakers and people who felt it important enough to come in and speak and spend their time with current students,” said Forte, who will start a new job in September as senior vice president and chief operating officer of the Choptank Community Health System on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Forte said it’s important to share the knowledge these practitioners gain from being in the real world with students, both in Scranton’s undergraduate and graduate programs.

“We want students to have a sense of what being a hospital administrator looks like in today’s health care environment and of applying our Ignatian values learned on campus in health care management,” he said. “This is our opportunity to pay it forward and give back.”

Learn more about the MHA program.

This story was originally published in The Scranton Journal.

Transforming Patient Care with Technology

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In today’s health care fields, technology is ever changing and progressing at a rapid pace. From patient satisfaction to innovative engagement interaction, the health care industry is paving the way for collecting and analyzing data.

The Affordable Care Act provides hospitals incentive to provide better care while at the same time increasing patient satisfaction. Because patients have more choices than ever, it is important that hospitals encourage innovative and effective patient engagement.

The way technology is progressing today, is by having patients participate in their own healthcare.

Healthcare providers are empowering their patients by encouraging them to track their own health progress from diagnosis through treatment and even into recovery via handheld devices (mobile and tablet).

Patients are using two-way communication to connect directly, by receiving medical notifications via mobile apps and asking doctors questions in real time. By removing the human error of not following up with doctor referrals, automatic referral requests are now being sent ensuring the continued care of patients.

Electronic medical records (EMRs) are just the tip of the technology iceberg. Now, the industry is using data warehouses to not only keep providers informed, but they are enhancing patient care by bringing a broad data range of figures together to predict the best methods of care. Metrics such as outcomes, lifestyle, biometric, and genomic data points are being combined together to create smarter approaches to care.

The future for the healthcare industry is bright. Products like electronic underpants used for bedridden patients to prevent bedsores, and bacteria killing light bulbs are currently being tested. Machines like robotic smart nurses are being invented and produced to assist human nurses with daily activities like moving patients between beds by wheelchair.

Click the infographic below to see the impact technology is having on the health care industry and improving patient care.

7 Must-Have Skills for Hospital Administrators

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The primary role of hospitals is to administer quality care, but, behind the scenes, hospitals are large institutions that run like any big business. That’s why successful hospital administrators must combine a passion for the well-being of patients with managerial know-how.

The former may be why you entered the health care field in the first place, but developing business skills could help you take your career to the next level. Not sure how to build those skills? Enrolling in an advanced educational program, such as The University of Scranton’s online Master of Health Administration program, will help you improve in the areas where you may need some help.

The top skills you’ll need to be a successful hospital administrator include:

  1. Industry Knowledge

The health care industry can be extremely competitive and receiving a master’s degree can take your career even further. The mostrespected master’s in health administration programs in the country are backed by The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME), the only organization that can officially recognize programs offering a master’s in healthcare management. Employers know that job applicants with a CAHME-accredited MHA have received a quality education, honed the necessary skills and built a network of industry contacts, all of which helps them excel as hospital administrators. As one of the only CAHME-accredited online MHA programs, The University of Scranton’s Master of Health Administration degree gives graduates a leg up on the competition when applying for jobs.

  1. Leadership

Hospital administrators are the executives of the hospital. On a big-picture level, they are expected to inspire the organization to deliver the best care possible.1 Day-to-day responsibilities include overseeing staff and ushering in new policies. Leadership skills, as well as an ability to command respect, are necessary to excel in the role.

  1. Critical Thinking2

CAHME-accredited MHA programs arm future healthcare leaders with the analytical skills they need to determine the best course of action for their hospital. The job calls for solutions-oriented professionals who can make informed decisions by looking closely at data and predetermined goals.

  1. Relationship Building

Within the course of a day, a hospital administrator might interact with doctors, the hospital’s governing board and members of its finance team.3  Building strong relationships every step of the way and communicating effectively can rally staff behind a common cause and help keep the organization running smoothly. Establishing trust is key, as is making decisions that align with the long-term goals of the organization.4

  1. Ethical Judgment

Healthcare administrators must have high ethical standards.5  Many of the hospital’s decisions fall on the administrator and possessing a steadfast moral compass ensures the right ones will be made.6 The University of Scranton’s Master of Health Administration builds Jesuit values into the program to ensure graduates are ready to make ethical decisions in the field.

  1. Adaptability7

This is an exciting, yet challenging, time to be in the healthcare industry: Baby boomers are expected to live longer than previous generations, which will place more demand on hospitals, and the Affordable Care Act has changed the way care is provided and how it’s paid for.8Adaptability is a key skill if hospital administrators want to keep up with the ever-shifting healthcare landscape—and they will need to. Administrators must be willing to challenge the status quo and usher in appropriate changes.

  1. Quick Thinking

Doctors and staff turn to hospital administrators for both big decisions and small ones. Administrators should be comfortable making decisions on the fly, but they also need to readily take responsibility for the success and failure of these decisions.9

 

For more information about The University of Scranton’s graduate MHA programs, click here.

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Sources:

  1. Stefl, M. (2008). Common competencies for all healthcare managers: the healthcare leadership alliance model. Retrieved from http://www.healthcareleadershipalliance.org/Common%20Competencies%20for%20All%20Healthcare%20Managers.pdf
  2. Cyprus, J. (2016). 7 skills you must have to be a great hospital administrator. Retrieved from http://www.healthworkscollective.com/jennacyprus/333819/7-skills-you-must-have-be-great-hospital-administrator
  3. Cyprus, J. (2016). 7 skills you must have to be a great hospital administrator. Retrieved from http://www.healthworkscollective.com/jennacyprus/333819/7-skills-you-must-have-be-great-hospital-administrator
  4. Garman, A.; Fitz, K.; Fraser, M. (2006). Communication and relationship management. Retrieved from  http://www.healthcareleadershipalliance.org/Communication%20and%20Relationship%20Mgmt.pdf
  5. Garman, A.; Fitz, K.; Fraser, M. (2006). Communication and relationship management. Retrieved from http://www.healthcareleadershipalliance.org/Communication%20and%20Relationship%20Mgmt.pdf
  6. Healthcare Management Degree Guide. What qualities would make me a good healthcare manager. Retrieved from http://www.healthcare-management-degree.net/faq/what-qualities-would-make-me-a-good-healthcare-manager/
  7. Cyprus, J. (2016). 7 skills you must have to be a great hospital administrator. Retrieved from http://www.healthworkscollective.com/jennacyprus/333819/7-skills-you-must-have-be-great-hospital-administrator
  8. Johnson, D. (2015). These charts show the baby boomers’ coming health crisis. Retrieved from http://time.com/3852306/baby-boomer-health-charts/
  9. Cyprus, J. (2016). 7 skills you must have to be a great hospital administrator. Retrieved from http://www.healthworkscollective.com/jennacyprus/333819/7-skills-you-must-have-be-great-hospital-administrator

Want to Make a Difference with your Career?

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Start a Career as a Hospital Administrator

The future is bright for those who want careers in hospital administration. Due to increasing demand for hospitals, clinics and treatment centers to provide quality care for a larger number of people, hospital administration jobs are growing in quantity. The industry is currently competitive, with hospitals working to earn and keep the qualified candidates they hire. Salaries are booming, with plenty of promotion potential through a career as a medical administrator. Health care management requires a great deal of skill and education from applicants; qualifications typically acquired during an Master’s of Health Administration program. Graduates can expect a challenging career that makes a genuine enhancement in the quality of people’s lives.

High Demand

The field of hospital administration is due to expand fairly significantly in the next several years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gives two reasons for this increase. First, people of the Baby Boomer generation are now in their 50s and 60s. As they get older, their health care needs will grow. Second, the BLS observes that hospitals need trained health care administrators to streamline processes and manage daily functions so that medical staff can meet the higher demand for preventive care and treatment. Since many aging people expect to live longer, healthier lives at home, their need for facilities that provide care outside of a nursing home will also increase.

Salary Expectations

As demand for health care administrators increases, so does the competition for qualified managers.  The BLS maintains data on average salaries in the field. As medical and health services management changes to meet upcoming needs for quality improvement in processes, salary grows. In 2012, the median hospital administrator salary was $88,580 per year. By 2014, that number had increased to a median hospital administration salary of $92,810 per year. While these numbers represent a median of all health care managers in various clinics, treatment centers and hospitals, the pay between facility types can be quite disparate.

Someone working as a medical administrator in a nursing home brings home a mean salary of $85,730 per year, while someone in management at a specialty hospital can expect an average $116,640 per year for a hospital administrator salary. In short, this is a field with a great deal of salary potential and growth opportunities.

Assessing the Field

People are sometimes surprised by the sheer size of the hospital economy in the United States. In its annual survey, the American Hospital Association records a total of 5,686 hospitals in the U.S, of which about half are not-for-profit community hospitals. While these numbers might not be particularly impressive, data on the accessibility and use of these hospitals shows the increasing need for hospital administrator jobs. In all these hospitals, there are 914,513 staffed beds. Each year, people are admitted to U.S. hospitals over 35 million times. The expenses for all U.S. hospitals total about $859 billion, which explains the pressure on hospital administration to make processes more efficient and eliminate unnecessary waste.

Educational Requirements and Skills

To land a job in health services as a medical administrator, applicants are encouraged to pursue a Master’s of Health Administration degree. In their studies, prospective health care administrators are expected to cover a variety of subjects, including accounting, human resources, ethics, law, and health administration. This broad spectrum helps to describe the kind of skills and knowledge that hospital administrator jobs require.

In particular, applicants must be current on all topics and trends in health care administration, adept in their use of technology, detail-oriented, engaged in problem solving, and comfortable in a leadership role. Some hospitals give preference to prospective administrators who also hold a nursing degree or medical degree, but this additional education is not typically compulsory. With a combination of training and experience, people who work in hospital administration can enhance the way hospitals are run.

Responsibilities

Based on the skills described, the hospital administrator job description can be quite broad, depending on the size and needs of the particular institution. However, most people who take a job as a health care administrator need not worry that they will be expected to do everything related to hospital administration on a daily basis. Rather, it means that those who want hospital administrator jobs have a wide assortment of potential departments and positions to choose from, including:

  • accounting
  • finance
  • insurance
  • medical records administrator
  • health information technology

Depending on the demands of the job and the 24-hour nature of hospital work, people may be expected to work nights, weekends, or irregular shifts. Employees in the industry with a great deal of talent and experience along with a good work ethic may eventually be promoted as a health administration executive.

Certifications Available

While professional certifications are not necessarily required in a hospital administrator job description, there are a few certifications available in the hospital administration industry. Anyone who wishes to become a medical administrator in a nursing care facility must maintain a license in accordance with their state.

In addition, the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management offers two certifications, the Certified Medical Manager and the Health Information Technology Certified Manager. The first certifies a person to act as a health care administrator in a sole provider clinic, while the second notes that the certification holder has demonstrated expertise in a variety of health care technology systems, a vital skill for the industry.

The American College of Health Care Administrators provides two certifications for management of nursing care facilities, including Certified Nursing Home Administrator and Certified Assisted Living Administrator. These certifications can be used toward state licensing requirements.

Optional Fields

Many professionals in health administration careers ultimately choose to work in a hospital, but not all. Since there are several different types of facilities and industries who make products or provide health care services and treatment to individuals, all kinds of businesses and institutions need qualified health care administrators. There are also medical administrator jobs in the following fields:

  • pharmaceutical manufacturing
  • nursing home management
  • private clinic management
  • home health care management
  • consulting

The appeal for varied institutions that can provide care to all different kinds of patients with a range of needs means that specialized facilities will continue to grow. At the rate the industry is booming, people can search for the job that really speaks to them, in an area that more accurately suits their career goals and expectations.

Improving Quality of Care

The major increase in demand for hospital administration jobs comes largely from reforms to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This government institution created a new set of standards in 2005 as a means to ensure that hospitals were maintaining high standards for patient care and case management. The federal government cannot dictate how privately-owned hospitals are run, but CMS can deny reimbursement for treatment for Medicare and Medicaid patients for hospitals and clinics that do not meet CMS quality standards. CMS requires that relevant health care facilities provide evidence that they meet specific benchmarks for medical records management, patient data acquisition, and long-term health care outcomes.

Power to Change Lives

Changing standards for hospital efficiency and patient outcomes means that hospital administrators have more power than ever to change lives.

The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) notes that the industry is likely to change and grow over the years. Despite mergers and acquisition of institutions and facilities within the field of health care, the need for effective hospital management remains strong. In a recent study by ACHE, health care executives observed that management needs and opportunities at freestanding hospitals are steadily increasing in number and importance. This change demonstrates the awesome power medical administrators have to influence people’s lives, because the day-to-day business of the clinic, treatment center, or hospital improves people’s health and their ability to function in their normal lives.

Job Satisfaction

Ultimately, satisfaction in hospital administration jobs is dependent on the person who holds the position. However, the evidence shows that a medical administrator can select from all different kinds of jobs at a growing variety of institutions. They command a salary and industry growth rate much higher than the national average. As a result, people in these positions retain more power over their career paths for the duration, whether they wish to be promoted into a position as a health care executive or have ambitions to make more lateral moves into other relevant industries.

Those who wish to hold a job in business management can choose almost any industry they like. However, as the health care field of hospital administration continues to advance, the number of hospital administration jobs also grows. Hospitals need college graduates with the skills to change processes and improve efficacy and quality of care. To do this, students need a Master’s of Health Administration, experience in the industry, and the desire to make an impact on health care. This education and experience prepares graduates for one of the many jobs available in health care administration. Whether applicants choose to become a medical records administrator or they have their sights set on a health care executive position, they know that they are helping people to live better lives.

 

To learn more about the Master’s of Health Administration program at The University of Scranton, click here.