Industry Insights: The Admin's Perspective in Healthcare

Chip Koons: My career ended in the military (USAF) after 30 years. I chose to continue my government service and ended up working for the National Cemetery Administration at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. My military background and government job allowed me to utilize and hone my administrative skills to prepare me for my future endeavors. I then elected to work part time, with a job opportunity at Penn State Health and College of Medicine, becoming an Administrative Associate. I bring flexibility and uniqueness to this position, allowing my supervisor to place me at a moment's notice in challenging situations within the hospital system. 

I work in a variety of departments to support medical professionals, nurses, hospital administrators, and other administrative assistants. Each day/week can be slightly different. In today’s world, I believe the backbone of the medical profession is the Administrative Assistant. I coordinate phone calls, facsimiles, schedules (both medically & educationally), prepare for clinics, utilize PowerChart (for Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, Physicians Assistants, and Nurses) to communicate, add information, extract any required data for all involved (patients included), setup for conferences, and submit & track expenses.   

Training is key to having a solid background in the medical field. Knowing how to deal with patients, medical hierarchy, requirements, and conditions is incredibly important. Not to mention, keeping everyone positive is not a small task. Listening to fellow admins and utilizing ASAP’s resources (like courses) and our local compass training system all reinforce necessary attributes for a successful career. 

I think a normal hurdle in any admins career is definitely feeling trained to the extent of expectations. Especially in today’s world where, unless you are shadowing the person you are replacing, you may not have anyone to show you how to accomplish the tasks at hand. Obviously, entry-level admins will have the support required; however, higher-level admins may not have the support mechanisms in place to be successful when first starting out. The learning curve may be a lot higher for this individual. 

Making connections with the medical professionals, Nurses, Hospital Administrators, and other Administrative Assistants is the best part of my job. I have access to many educated people and resources in this role, and I enjoy seeking out information I may not know the answer to. This allows me to problem solve effectively, drawing on diverse resources and expertise from various locations within the medical field. 

What advice would you give to admins looking to transfer into the medical industry? 

First and foremost, be ready for a challenging career. With so many facets existing in this field, tackling and conquering the challenges relies on your commitment to growth and learning curves!