Health administrator is a job, which involves a significant amount of responsibility. In addition, an employee should be capable of coping with tasks in different fields of healthcare. An effective method of evaluating the qualification of a candidate is interviewing. Consequently, conversations with two current hospital managers were conducted to identify the qualities and factors, which lead to a successful career in this sphere. Lianor Breton, Associate Director of Regulatory Affairs, had thorough education, finishing several bachelor degrees, completing numerous training, and receiving multiple licenses. Denise Don, Associate Director of Uncompensated Care, had changed many jobs in the healthcare field, from the laboratory to patient registration. Therefore, in-depth knowledge and obtaining essential skills in various aspects made them prominent. The importance of personal traits, such as perseverance and willingness to improve themselves, benefited their career.
Healthcare Administrators
The job of healthcare administrators or managers appears to be responsible and demanding, as it requires controlling the operation of a medical setting, health system, and various organizations. Their duties do not include communication with patients; however, they have to cope with adherence to a particular policy, changes implementation, and other measures to improve the healthcare system. Consequently, the candidates for this position should have a range of appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience. In the context of present-day development, an effective approach for indicating the level of qualification of a candidate implies having an interview. It allows evaluation of knowledge, skills, bonds, and abilities of a potential healthcare manager, which are essential for being a professional in this sphere. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the conducted interviews with two current healthcare administrators and determine vital factors in succeeding in this position on this base.
Manager 1: Lianor Breton
The first interviewee is Lianor Breton, who is MS, MT(AMT), SLS (ASCP), SCYM (ASCP), AHI(AMT). She has a job as Associate Director of Regulatory Affairs and works for JHS Health System; namely, she is responsible for laboratory services. As for education, Lianor Breton has competed MS Health Service Administration. Sharing the beginning of her interest in this field, the woman reminds that she was engaged in healthcare since her childhood (L. Breton, personal communication, April 5, 2021). The interviewee preferred to choose microbiology as an undergraduate program, which impressed Lianor Breton significantly. She mentions: “I found it fascinating that science roots started in Europe and that we had language requirements” (L. Breton, personal communication, April 5, 2021). This fact led the woman to take a double major for the bachelor program.
According to the interviewee, her patience appeared to be an influential factor in her career path. Moreover, having Bell’s Palsy as a child was also crucial in her professional realization (L. Breton, personal communication, April 5, 2021). Continuing the discussion of the career path, Lianor Breton highlights the importance of her education. The manager completed a double major in Microbiology and French for the bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, she received a Master of Arts in Paris, France, and worked in academia for 27 years (L. Breton, personal communication, April 5, 2021). The woman is always in search of methods, which allow her to improve herself. She has AMT certification at a national level, licensed by the State of FL in all laboratory areas as a supervisor, certified by ASCP as a specialist in Safety, and as a specialist in Flow Cytometry. Lianor Breton reckons that making the Laboratory flourish during the pandemic may be considered her career goal (L. Breton, personal communication, April 5, 2021). The organization managed to adjust to the new conditions and benefit from new opportunities.
Reflecting on the next generation of healthcare administrators, the woman emphasizes the significance of getting acquainted with the technical side of this job. Lianor Breton states: “Knowledge is FREE and should never be hoarded. It must be shared. Eventually the student becomes the teacher” (L. Breton, personal communication, April 5, 2021). She advises using every opportunity to improve the skills and fulfill knowledge via receiving licenses, completing training, and acquire new technologies.
Therefore, analyzing the interview with Lianor Breton and her career path, the most impactful factors resulting in her success were appropriate education and her determination. The woman has completed proper and thorough preparation, which made her the universal professional in healthcare administration. Moreover, her traits of character should not be underestimated. Her perseverance, interest in the profession, and willingness to continuously improve her skills and constantly fulfill her knowledge are crucial. Consequently, Lianor Breton regularly updates her qualification, which made her a prominent manager capable of coping with many tasks and duties.
Manager 2: Denise Don
Another interviewee is Denise Don, who received the Master of Business Administration. He is Associate Director of Uncompensated Care in JHS Health System. He became interested in healthcare administration, as he experienced numerous positions in this field, from the laboratory to patient registration, which led him to management. Denise Don is a political refugee in the USA, so he comprehended the necessity to improve himself continuously (D. Don, personal communication, April 7, 2021). The manager mentions that he feels satisfaction when he understands that his decisions benefit a patient (D. Don, personal communication, April 7, 2021). However, it also presents a professional challenge for the interviewee, as his work impacts patient’s care and needs.
Denise Don claims that his primary professional goal implies that he continuously develops himself in this field and does his best to fulfill all the requirements. Giving guidelines for future managers, the man highlights the importance of the financial aspect of healthcare administration, and it is essential to be aware of all the details (D. Don, personal communication, April 7, 2021). Denise Don reminds us that the central aim of all jobs in the healthcare field implies providing a patient with high-quality care (D. Don, personal communication, April 7, 2021). Furthermore, he advises participating in internship programs actively and attempt to gain experience in different working environments.
Thus, the most influential factor, which benefited Don’s career path, involved his various healthcare experience. Working in different positions, he gained an in-depth insight into the operation of a medical setting. Such preparation allowed him to cope with numerous tasks associated with the management of a hospital competently and rationally. Comparing the careers of Lianor Breton and Denise Don, it should be mentioned that although their experience, education, and preparation are different, their path has one thing in common. A range of knowledge concerning different aspects of medical service delivery and hospital operation made them qualified to manage the setting. Furthermore, appropriate working experience, which covers various details of providing competent care, led them to their positions. The last factor was their character and beliefs, such as perseverance and the willingness to improve themselves continuously. Therefore, a combination of appropriate knowledge, skills, experience, and personal traits is essential for becoming a successful hospital administrator.
Developing specific management skills in hospital and medical laboratory settings is essential for effective healthcare delivery. As it is evident from the interviews with healthcare administrators, personal traits and professional skills are needed to succeed in this field. Indeed, the job requirements for the role of healthcare and laboratory administrator include leadership skills, team management, enterprise and system thinking, and integrating learning with coaching (Meyer, 2018). Furthermore, professional knowledge in statistics, finances, and project management are essential for a healthcare facility management position (Meyer, 2018). Another critical aspect of effective healthcare management is acquiring job-related training and certificates (Meyer, 2018). Overall, the role of a healthcare administrator requires the integration of skills and knowledge from various fields.
In conclusion, the interviews were conducted with two healthcare administrators to gain a perspective on their career choices, learn about skills for successful management, and receive advice for future generations of healthcare managers. Both interviewees highlighted personal interest early in their careers, which inspired them to acquire more knowledge and skills in their fields. They recommend learning and constantly improve to become experts in healthcare management.
Reference
Meyer, M. A. (2018). Qualifications and skills required for performance improvement: a content analysis of job Postings. Journal of Healthcare Management, 63(6), 427-444. Web.