By Dr. Salvatore Barbera

Careers in healthcare administration continue to grow as the overall industry attempts to work through the post-pandemic transitional challenges. These challenges include severe labor issues that necessitate a closer look at staff shortages both today and for the immediate future. Options may be limited but identifying this issue as a priority is a must. Most healthcare organizations need to devote time and resources into the future training and academic preparation of staff, including those at the bedside. These front door initiatives are essential and remain a critical component of any successful intervention geared toward effective human resource management. At the same time, appropriate oversight must be provided to retain staff already employed. A “revolving door” situation will not be successful in the long or short term.

To manage this human resource opportunity and challenge efficiently, healthcare management needs to be given the proper tools and resources. Considering the current environment, raising prices is not an option to address this ongoing cost pressure. Value-based reimbursement will create more pressure on providers by highlighting the cost of care even more. Healthcare consumers are finding themselves with rising out-of-pocket exposure even as they have decent insurance, drawing more attention to the industry-wide cost of care growth.

Current mid- and executive-level management must be educated in current human resources management practices that will encourage and support success. Determining the resources available in the community and those offered through educational formats created and provided by local higher education institutions is essential. These institutions must have experts to challenge and educate current management teams; they provide contemporary and advanced approaches for excelling within our existing competitive and ever-changing environment.

The Health Administration Program within the College of Business at Florida Atlantic University has both the expertise and understanding needed and serves as an invaluable resource for the community. In addition to FAU’s undergraduate and graduate programs in health administration, we have the ability to work with teams and organizations as well as individuals to design needed educational support through corporate training and certificate programs. Our health administration degree programs are guided by cutting-edge curriculum routinely evaluated to ensure industry relevance and compatibility. Courses are taught by highly qualified and experienced faculty who consistently receive recognition from the healthcare field and our students. We offer an industry leading, highly regarded executive program attractive to working executives with its weekend and online class formats.

Healthcare is a dynamic industry with unlimited opportunities and currently experiencing intense volatility that will bring about unprecedented change. Stay relevant and count on the Health Administration Program at Florida Atlantic University to provide your learning needs with either a degree-focused format or a certificate program or with custom-developed trainings to upskill your teams and organizations.

Dr. Salvatore Barbera, Associate Program Director, Health Administration Programs, College of Business, Florida Atlantic University, can be reached at (561) 297-4444 or Sbarber2@fau.edu.