What is expected of a medical office administrator?

A medical office administrator is a person responsible for the day-to-day operations and running of a hospital, clinic, or health care facility. The efficient and smooth operation of the hospital depends on the skills and knowledge of this professional, so the person in question must be competent and well qualified.

He or she must have a degree in health services administration, public health, or at least business administration. In addition to educational qualifications, the medical hospital administrator must also possess soft skills like good communication and organizational skills. A thorough understanding of accounting, insurance policy rules, medical billing, and medical law is also essential.

Duties that fall within the scope of medical practice include bookkeeping, human resource management, and purchasing to ensure the smooth running of the office. In addition, this professional would be responsible for the daily and monthly accounts of the hospital or health center in terms of financial details, book balance for bank deposits, amount of cash available, and the annual budget.

As the hospital’s human resources manager, your duties include hiring and firing employees, reviewing their performance, and deciding on promotions to be awarded. He is also the liaison officer for the computer software used by the hospital. In case of any major glitch or problem with the software, it is this person who will contact the software company to get it fixed.

Once again, this professional is responsible for all purchases made in the hospital, either supervising the work or personally ordering products when necessary. Purchases are varied and can range from small office supplies to large medical equipment. Sometimes he can be helped by an assistant to whom he can delegate the responsibility of making minor purchases but after seeking his prior approval.

Being responsible for the flow of the office means paying attention to details such as planning the location of doctors’ offices, reception, seating arrangements and other amenities for patients. A well-planned set-up would in turn translate into a well-functioning hospital.

Managing a medical office efficiently with good organizational skills is a challenging job and to handle it competently, a medical office manager must possess the ability to multitask and prioritize projects based on their importance. You should have a head for numbers, as it would not only help you identify problems in accounting, but also solve them. He must be able to supervise, manage and motivate the people who work for him and be a constant source of inspiration to them.

Ensuring the smooth running of the hospital and office, managing accounts, payroll and medical billing and taking stock inventory from time to time on a regular basis are mandatory responsibilities. Also, possessing good communication skills to be able to freely interact with doctors and patients alike is definitely a plus.