Module 11: Administration Services

Welcome to Administration Services!

The leader of the administrative staff is the chief executive officer (CEO) who is the individual appointed by a governing board to direct an organization's overall management. In order to carry out the mission and vision of the facility, the CEO is responsible for implementing the policies and strategic direction set by the hospital's governing board (GB). The CEO is responsible for developing an effective administrative team and coordinating the hospital's services in order to ensure the provision of health care services needed within the community and quality patient care.

As other members of the administrative team, most healthcare organizations also designate a chief financial officer (CFO) who is the individual who oversees the fiscal management of the healthcare organization, a chief operating officer (COO) who coordinates hospital activities, such as ancillary or support services and other functional areas, and a chief information officer (CIO) who is responsible for the overall management of information resources within the healthcare organization. It is important that the CIO build a PUSH-PULL Framework in that all planning, programming, and evaluation activities relating to IS (Information Systems) must occur at two levels: macro organization problem finding level, and the micro IT problem solving level.

The administrative team is responsible for managing the hospital's finances and resources while ensuring that the hospital is complying with all federal, state, and local rules, standards of applicable accrediting bodies, and laws that govern the delivery of healthcare services. Healthcare administrators may hold advanced degrees in healthcare administration, nursing, public health, or business management. Many healthcare Administrators are fellows of the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE).