If you’re thinking about a career as a health care administrator, it’s important that you have good organizational skills.1 Health care administrators are entrusted with the coordination of health and medical services. This encompasses a wide variety of duties, including creating work schedules, managing facilities’ finances, keeping medical records organized and working to improve the efficiency and quality of health care.2 As a result, organizational skills are paramount if you’re going to have a successful health administration career after earning your degree. Use these tips to help you stay organized:
1. Keep track of your goals
While day-to-day organization is important, having a clear idea of your career goals is an important component of staying on top of your daily tasks. Begin by listing three long-term things you want to accomplish in your current position, then work your way backward to establish yearly and monthly goals. Use these to dictate your choices while on the job and help you create daily to-do lists. After all, it’s impossible to give all of your duties the same priority and stay organized in the process.3
2. Avoid multitasking
While being a health care administrator may require you to do some multitasking, if possible, you should try to block your time. When you can fully focus on each task at hand you are likely to complete them more efficiently and improve your chances of remembering what needs to be done and when. This is where the to-do list comes in handy. Make one each morning and check off tasks as you complete them throughout the day.4
3. Hire the right employees
It is much easier to stay organized when you don’t have to micro manage your employees. Health care administrators have a say in hiring and training practices. If you choose employees who are well-qualified self-starters, in addition to being organized themselves, it will help you more effectively manage them in addition to performing your other job duties.5 1 The Princeton Review, ‘Career: Health Care Administrator,’ 2013 – http://www.princetonreview.com/careers.aspx?cid=76 2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, ‘Medical and Health Services Managers,’ March 29, 2012 – http://www.princetonreview.com/careers.aspx?cid=76 3 Bakken, Elizabeth, RICE, ‘Getting Organized at Work,’ 2009 – http://people.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/People/TEAMS/Getting%20Organized%20at%20Work.pdf 4 Andre, Louise, Canadian Living, ’10 simple ways to get organized at work,’ 2013 – http://www.canadianliving.com/life/work/10_simple_ways_to_get_organized_at_work.php 5 Locsin, Aurelio, Houston Chronicle, ‘Health Care Administration Responsibilities,’ 2013 – http://work.chron.com/health-care-administration-responsibilities-13638.html
