What Is Expected From A Medical Office Administrator?

A medical office administrator is a person who is responsible for the day-to-day operations and functioning of a hospital, clinic or health care center. The efficient and smooth functioning of the hospital depends on the skills and the knowledge of this professional, so as such, the person concerned should be proficient and well qualified.

He or she must possess a degree in health service administration, public health, or at least business administration. Apart from educational qualifications, the medical hospital administrator must also possess soft skills like good communication and organizational skills. Thorough knowledge of accounting, insurance policy rules, medical billing and medical law is also a must.

Duties that come within the scope of medical practice include accounting, human resource management and making purchases to ensure the smooth functioning 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, books being balanced for bank deposits, amount of cash in hand and the yearly budget.

As the human resources manager of the hospital, his duties encompass hiring and firing of employees, reviewing their performances and deciding on the promotions to be granted. He is also the liaison officer for the computer software that is used by the hospital. In case of any major breakdown or problem with the software it is this individual who would get in touch with the software company to get it fixed.

It is yet again this professional who is responsible for all the purchasing that is done in the hospital by either overseeing the job or personally placing orders for goods as and when required. The purchases are varied and can range from small office supplies to large medical equipment. At times he may be helped by an assistant to whom he can delegate the responsibility of making smaller purchases but after having sought his prior approval.

Being responsible for the flow of the office entails an eye for details like planning out the location of the doctors' offices, the front reception, the seating arrangements and other conveniences for the patients. A well planned set up would in turn translate into smooth functioning of the hospital.

Managing a medical office efficiently with good organizational skills is a challenging job and to handle it with proficiency a medical office administrator should possess the ability to multitask and prioritize projects according to their importance. He should have a head for figures as it would not only help him to identify problems in accounting but to solve them as well. He should be able to supervise, manage and motivate the people working under him and be a constant source of inspiration to them.

Ensuring the smooth running of the hospital as well as the office, managing accounts, payrolls as well as medical billing and taking an inventory of stocks from time to time on a regular basis are mandatory responsibilities. In addition possession of good communication skills to be to interact freely with doctors and patients alike is definitely a bonus.