Debra Oselett has been working as a practice administrator at a private medical practice in Rochester Hills, Michigan since 2008. She was born in Detroit, Michigan but grew up in Madison Heights, a suburb of Detroit. Debra Oselett studied accounting at Oakland Community College and founded her own accounting firm which she ran for ten years before taking up the job as a practice administrator.
There is no doubt that the job of a practice administrator is quite demanding and difficult, and as expenses and competition increases, administrators must be prepared to effectively lead. Here are some challenges practice administrators face in the workplace.
Recruiting Healthcare Professionals
With the shortage of healthcare professionals, hospitals have to pay more for employees they hire. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2008 and 2018, the healthcare employment rate is set to grow by 23 percent, compared to nine percent for other sectors. This puts pressure on practice administrators to find ways to address the shortage of staff and compete for the best qualified and trained healthcare professionals.
Specialize for Growth
In the last few years, there has been a rapid increase in the number of specialty hospitals, diagnostic centers, physician-run outpatient surgery centers, and this has put increased pressure on traditional hospitals. In order to compete for patients, practice administrators have to set their practice apart by offering specialized care. While offering specialized care is important, hospitals need to investigate other specialty healthcare centers in the community and find areas of opportunity and tap into it. Practice administrators have to come up with specialized strategies to recruit the best-qualified professionals and build a strong reputation for the practice area.