While the core of all healthcare services is the promotion and maintenance of health, the key issues and policies affecting the healthcare industry are not nearly as obvious. Industry concerns are continuously shifting in response to changing government mandates; updates in science, socioeconomic developments; and the needs of the populace.
The importance of hospital management to patient care and satisfaction has remained quite stable, however. Through the online Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Concentration in Healthcare Administration program from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), students gain the knowledge and skills to ensure patient safety by aligning healthcare processes and systems.
Patients Are Consistently a Top Concern for Hospitals
While the factors affecting patient health and safety might fluctuate, ensuring patient safety remains a key concern for hospital management. For example, a 2023 ECRI report found that the “pediatric mental health crisis” was the major threat to patient safety, as the proportion of youth experiencing mental health challenges while resources and access remain limited.
This is in contrast to 2022, when staffing shortages led the list of patient safety concerns. One timely concern that tops the 2024 list is “challenges transitioning newly trained clinicians from education into practice,” which were and are intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent workforce shortages. Other key concerns from the 2023 report include maternal-fetal medicine uncertainty, clinicians working outside the scope of practice, and poor care coordination for those with complex medical conditions.
These showcase the wide variety of issues hospitals must contend with to ensure patient safety. As a result, hospital administration must remain constantly aware of trending or potential risks to patient safety.
What This Means for Hospital Administrators
Clearly, while senior hospital management recognizes the need to prioritize patient safety and care, the real challenge is how to put this priority into day-to-day practice. When it comes to putting patients first, hospital administrators and management will continue to play a pivotal role. An article published in Cureus describes hospital administrators as “the cornerstone of healthcare institutions,” referencing the impact of their leadership and management expertise on improving operations, leading to better patient safety outcomes.
It is not enough for hospital leaders to profess a concern for patient care. They must know how to actually prioritize patient safety in hospitals. Hospital management personnel must have the skills to manage and integrate a complex array of competing interests and duties among healthcare staff at all levels.
It is also vital for hospital management to improve communication between staff and departments and encourage professional caregivers to take ownership of a patient’s recovery and experience. Senior executives must ensure all staff members are clear about their responsibilities and encourage teamwork to improve hospital culture.
Keep Patients Safe With an MBA in Healthcare Administration Online From TAMU-CC
By knowing what steps to take to ensure patients get the best care possible, hospital management can lead a medical facility into a successful and prosperous future. TAMU-CC’s online MBA in Healthcare Administration program is an ideal first step to pursuing this path and ensuring patient safety.
With insights into healthcare delivery and ethical concerns gained from courses such as The Health Care System and Health & Law Ethics, students are prepared to lead their organizations with a patient-centered mindset. As the Cureus article explains, healthcare administrators offer more than stewardship: “they are architects of better healthcare, custodians of patient well-being, and quality champions.”
Learn about TAMU-CC’s online MBA with a Concentration in Healthcare Administration program.
