Illinois Health Administration Degree Programs

As one of the most populated states in the Midwest, Illinois serves millions of residents through its many healthcare organizations. Healthcare administrators play a critical role in making sure that healthcare organizations run smoothly. Major healthcare facilities in Illinois include Northwestern Memorial Hospital, St. Alexius Medical Center, and Cadence Health Central.

The first step to becoming a healthcare administrator is choosing a school that helps you meet your educational and career goals. To that end, look at what specialties each school offers and compare the learning outcomes of each program to your goals. Schools may offer specialties in areas like pediatric care, genetic counseling, and women’s health care. With the exponential growth in the healthcare sector, there are avenues for all types of graduates to consider.

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When choosing the right program, it’s important to consider your life schedule and responsibilities. If you work during the day, look for a school that has night, weekend, or online classes. You will also want to contact several schools to compare the curriculum and learning outcomes of their programs. Researching what kinds of positions you want to pursue after graduation can be a good way to learn which program is right for you.

Healthcare Administration Education in Illinois

As you begin your school search, note that there are 20 schools in Illinois that award different types of healthcare administration degrees. Several of these schools have online degree programs that offer flexibility for working students. There are three CAHME-accredited schools in Illinois: Governors State University, Rush University, and University of Illinois at Chicago.

Illinois is home to many healthcare management organizations that are designed to bring health managers together for networking purposes. As a student, you can really benefit from membership in an organization that will connect you with working professionals. You can learn more about what is expected of healthcare managers, start making contacts, and even find an internship site or job lead. Illinois-based organizations include:

• Illinois Medical Group Management Association
• Illinois Health Care Association
• Illinois Health Exchange Partners

There are many valuable skills you can learn in a healthcare management program. One of the most important aspects of this field is flexibility, so you may learn how to assess patients’ needs to change hospital practices and offerings. The Quincy Herald-Whig reports that Illinois hospitals have been extending their services into hospice care, fitness centers, dentistry, and more.

Time management and money management are significant topics in most healthcare management programs. You learn how to schedule staff, ways to budget within each department and for the entire organization, and how to best use each person you may have on staff. Healthcare law is another significant area you’ll likely explore. As one of the most regulated industries, knowing the legalities involved in running a healthcare organization is highly important.

Outlook for Healthcare Administration Careers in Illinois

In Illinois, healthcare is an extremely exciting field to work in. Particularly around Chicago, there are dozens of internationally known healthcare companies, providers, and firms that are established in Illinois. You can put your healthcare administration skills to use at government agencies, public health programs, and specialty clinics, to name a few options. No matter what the goals of a healthcare organization are, they can be better met with the oversight of a healthcare administrator.

From 2012 through 2022, O*Net predicts a 13% boost in job openings. At $96,800 per year, the average salary for an Illinois healthcare manager is slightly higher than the national average (O*Net, 2014).

With your ambition, you can improve the state of healthcare in Illinois. Find out how by contacting healthcare administration schools in Illinois.

In addition to requesting information today from the schools listed here, when you talk with schools, make sure you discuss what relationships they have with local employers, and how they can help you prepare for success.

2020 Medical and Health Services Manager Estimated Job Openings

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