Job Market For Healthcare Managers Broadens In L.A.
As the demand for cost-saving medical services continues to increase, so is the number of patients, physicians, facilities and medical procedures. In effect, more than 73,000 additional medical and health services managers are expected to have already found gainful employment nationwide by 2022. This marks a 23 percent upsurge in the sum of working professionals that were tasked with organizing and managing medical information and staffs in 2012. That's why hospitals in Los Angeles remain steadfast in a conscientious effort to prepare the next generation of healthcare commanders.
"Fortunately, Kaiser Permanente provides a myriad of leadership development and formal mentoring programs," said Paula M. Davey, a registered nurse and department administrator of the head, neck, maxillofacial surgery and audiology department at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. "I'm also involved in mentoring registered nurses that have shown leadership potential and interest in health care administration."
What defines an admirable health care administrator?
"An effective healthcare administrator is one that puts the patient first and foremost, who leads with his or her team with integrity, builds an atmosphere of trust and open communication and is a visionary from a business perspective. Great leaders are not afraid of taking risks to increase standards of excellence."
How are you feeling the impact of advancing technology?
"Technology has provided me with the ability to make expedient, objective, data-based decisions regarding quality measures."
How does a healthcare leader prepare for a sustainable career in this field?
"Whether you have a clinical educational background or not, you must have a passion for helping people and continue to strive for ways to improve systems that raise the quality of care for patients. This passion is what has kept me interested and motivated for the past 10 years."
What is your message to endeavoring healthcare administrators?
"To manage people, you must have a thick skin and the ability to make difficult decisions on a daily basis. While your days can be long, if you are looking for a challenging and dynamic profession where your hard work has a direct impact on improving patients' lives, this is the career for you."
Sharon Raiford Bush is an award-winning journalist who covers topics of social interest in greater Los Angeles. Some news articles she has authored have been archived by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Sharon also contributes to Examiner.com.
