Managing your way towards a healthy career: An associate degree in health services administration

Demand for health care services is expected to see strong growth in the years ahead, making the medical profession a solid long-term career choice. However, not everybody has the science skill or the inclination to become a doctor or a nurse. Still, the health care profession also relies on a number of administrative functions in order to run efficiently and effectively. An associate degree in health services administration could prepare you for a career in the health care field centered more around organization and record keeping than around anatomy and biology.

Careers in health services administration

The US population is growing, having crossed the 300 million mark and still rising. The largest segment of that population, people aged 45 to 54 years old, is approaching the time of life when the need for health care becomes greater. These are trends behind the general rise in demand for health care services. Meanwhile, the administrative side of the medical profession faces a couple of other challenges which are likely to increase the workload--a need to update a medical record keeping system which is woefully behind the times in going digital, and the challenge of coping with the regulatory demands of new health care laws.

Where do health services administrators enter into this? Think of them as performing the office functions of the health care profession. This includes scheduling appointments, updating records, managing office staff, and filing paperwork with insurance and regulatory authorities.

The following are some examples of jobs a health services administration degree could help you qualify for, along with the total number of jobs and average salaries nationally, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures as of May, 2009:

• Medical assistants. Nationally, the 495,970 jobs in this role paid an average of $29,780 per year.
• Medical records and health information technicians. Nationally, the 170,580 jobs in this role paid an average of $33,880 per year.
• Medical transcriptionists. Nationally, the 82,810 jobs in this role paid an average of $33,350 per year.
• Medical and health services managers. Nationally, the 271,710 jobs in this role paid an average of 90,970 per year.

The medical profession has its own terminology, regulations, and procedures, so qualifying for these jobs requires a mix of general administrative skills and training specific to health care services. An associate degree in health services administration can give you this type of background.

Earning a health services administration degree

Some of the specific subject areas you are likely to study while earning a health services administration degree include the following:

• General administrative functions and techniques
• Organizational management
• Information technology
• Financial management
• Medical regulation
• Business principles
• Record keeping
• Medical terminology

An online associate degree in health services administration may be an especially convenient way for you to acquire these skills. Pursuing an online associate degree in health services administration can get you the specialized training you seek regardless of where you live, and help you fit your course schedule around other obligations.

A key to a stable career is to pick a growing field. A degree in health services administration can give you the skills to meet growing demand for health care in the years ahead.

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