Mapping My Future

Mapping My Future

HS 210 Unit 2 Assignment

Kaplan University

My chosen degree program is Bachelors in Healthcare Administration at Kaplan University. I choose this degree program because I wanted to challenge myself in becoming more than a Medical Assistant. I am very proud of my progress so far in my life, at this point I feel that I have hit a plateau. I found my passion in healthcare when I signed up for my Medical Assisting program. From then, I have had my experience in all different types of clinics, Obstetrics and Gynecology was the most fascinating. While working in my field and doing well, the Director of my clinic made a suggestion that I would be a good manager. I started doing research on management positions, Healthcare Administration is one degree that stood out to me. I procrastinated for almost 2 years on furthering my education. I finally put my fears aside and signed up with Kaplan’s online degree program.

As a Healthcare Administrator I will be responsible for making decisions to improve clinic flow, directing, and coordinating health services. I will be working closely with medical staff to enhance the impact on patient care. It will be my responsibility to provide medical expertise in implementing policies, and strategies for an organization. For this job function the national median salary for a Bachelor’s degree as a Healthcare Administrator is $96,540, this was projected in May of 2016. Medium wage is half of the workers in an occupation earning more than the amount and the other half earning less.

The demand is high for educated and experienced Healthcare Administrators. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics, employment of medical and health service managers is projected to grow 17 percent from 2014 to 2024. Healthcare in general is a diverse and growing industry with many job opportunities. As research has shown, a two-year degree or four-year degree is now expected for healthcare administration positions. The U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics show that the demand for jobs in Kansas City, Missouri is high. Showing that 5,860 are employed, location quotient is 90, and employment per 1,000 is 2.13.

A Bachelor’s degree is certainly a requirement to become a healthcare administrator, however earning a professional certification is voluntary, as I have researched. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics all states require licensure for nursing home administrator, requirements may vary by state. Some states may require applicants to pass a state specific exam, others may require an applicant to have previous work experience in a healthcare facility. It is critical for me to map out the right path so that I am able to land an entry level position, so I do plan to obtain the extra education. Though I do not plan on working in a nursing home, I still desire to have that option. I can obtain this by going to my states health department and applying.

Accreditations are very important when considering a school to attend. It gives me confidence that the institution I choose for my academic success meets requirements needed.

If I wanted to transfer schools I could do so, attending a school that is accredited guarantees I will not lose any credits. Some employers only prefer graduates that has attended and graduated an accredited program. Kaplan does have the accreditation needed for me to succeed in the healthcare workforce.

According to the U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics employment of medical and health service managers are projected to grow by 17 percent. This is a faster growth rate than predicted for all other occupations over these past years. Healthcare is growing rapidly with a demand for healthcare managers. I believe our country as a whole is working on gradually improving health care outcomes in all areas.

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Reference Page

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Medical and Health Services Managers,

on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm (visited July 13, 2017).

National Center for O*NET Development. 11-9111.00. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved July 14, 2017, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-9111.00