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4 Trends Driving the Need for Healthcare Administrators
Employers will need to fill an increasing number of healthcare administration job openings.
The job market looks promising for professionals who hold degrees in healthcare administration.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of medical and health services managers is growing much faster than average for all occupations. The BLS projects growth of 29% between 2023 and 2033, which translates to an additional 160,600 jobs.1
With this industry growth and your passion for healthcare administration, you may be well-positioned to find the career you’re looking for. An advanced college degree, such as a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), can help you gather knowledge and skills you can use to pursue your professional goals.
You’ll find people with MHA degrees working in leadership roles in hospitals, physician's offices, government agencies, nursing and residential care facilities, and other organizations. Leaders in healthcare administration hold rewarding and challenging jobs as hospital administrators, clinical managers, health information managers, nursing home administrators, and more.
Why Is There a Demand for Healthcare Administrators?
In this rapidly growing field, the healthcare industry needs professionals who are equipped to lead healthcare teams and manage administration challenges during times of change. Here are four trends driving the demand for healthcare administrators:
1. Growing Healthcare Industry
Healthcare is one of the largest industries in the U.S., employing about 16.3 million people in 2022.2 As employers look to fill jobs, they will need administrators with the skills to manage and supervise growing and diverse teams.
2. More People in Need of Healthcare
One of the biggest reasons for the growing healthcare industry—and the subsequent demand for healthcare administrators—is the aging population. By 2030, all people in the baby-boom generation—approximately 73 million people—will be 65 or older.3 Healthcare needs can increase with age, creating a demand for providers and healthcare administrators.
3. Changing Regulatory Environment
From the Affordable Care Act to value-based care, changes in healthcare law and regulation are constant. Hospitals and other medical facilities need administrators who can navigate complex and evolving healthcare systems. Healthcare managers and administrators play an increasingly important role in keeping hospitals compliant and elevating organizational performance.
4. Technology Advancements
Administrators with healthcare informatics skills and knowledge are needed as technology use in the healthcare industry expands. The BLS notes, “As a result, more health information technologists will be needed to analyze these vast quantities of data and offer insight to help make informed decisions.”4 The healthcare industry will need medical and health services managers to help informaticists and others manage data across the healthcare industry.
Earn a Healthcare Administration Master’s Degree
If you are ready to refresh and build your knowledge and leadership skills, you may want to consider earning a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree online from Walden University.
Walden, one of the top granters of healthcare administration master’s degrees in the U.S., offers a General Program and an optional specialization in Leadership and Organizational Development.
In the accredited university’s online healthcare administration master’s program, you can also select the completion option that suits your schedule and learning style. Traditional, course-based learning offers the structure of a set schedule and deadlines. If you prefer working at your own pace and without deadlines, Walden also offers the MHA program in Tempo Learning®, a competency-based format.
All MHA students have the benefit of Walden’s flexible online learning experience. In Walden’s MHA online program you can access your coursework whenever it’s most convenient for you. As a working professional, this allows you to stay engaged in your career and personal life while earning a degree.
Healthcare administration is a career field filled with diverse job opportunities. By earning a master’s in healthcare administration, you can apply what you learn to meeting your career goals in this rapidly changing and growing healthcare environment.
Walden University is an accredited institution offering a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree program online, including a Tempo Learning® option that allows you to move through the MHA program at your own pace. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
1Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm#tab-1
2Source: www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/healthcare/default.html
3Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm#:~:text=Employment%20of%20healthcare%20occupations%20is,about%201.9%20million%20new%20jobs.&text=This%20projected%20growth%20is%20mainly,greater%20demand%20for%20healthcare%20services
4Source: https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/demo/p25-1144.pdf
Note on Licensure
The Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) is not a licensure-leading program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed professional in healthcare administration, healthcare leadership, nursing home administration, or other similar positions.
Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.