Why this matters:
Medical technology is continuously evolving, and one part of a healthcare administrator’s role may be to ensure that their organization is utilizing the most up-to-date technology. This is important not only for the health and safety of the patients and providers, but also for the operational and financial success of the organization.
What to listen for:
- Deep understanding of the importance of staying up to date with medical technology
- Examples of materials they read to stay up to date
- A desire to continue to learn
Why this matters:
An important part of the role of healthcare administrator is to ensure that the patients in their organization are satisfied and receiving the best quality of care. This question will gauge the candidate’s priorities and philosophy when it comes to delivering exceptional care.
What to listen for:
- Strong understanding of factors that contribute to the best outcomes for patients
- Specific processes they would implement
- Clear priorities when it comes to patient care
Why this matters:
Healthcare administrators often need to make sure that hospital stakeholders (both external and internal) are aligned — and that different practice or service lines, such as oncology and orthopedics, get the right information. This question helps assess the candidate’s confidence in ensuring multiple groups have the latest directives and other information.
What to listen for:
- Ability to communicate with clarity
- Strong problem-solving abilities
- Examples of their strategy such as scheduling meetings or sending emails
Why this matters:
This question is about the candidate’s ability to stay level-headed, no matter how busy they get. Healthcare administration can be demanding, with day-to-day work, periodic crises, and other unforeseen issues that need to be dealt with. A healthcare administrator should have strong time management skills, with an ability to stay calm under even the busiest, most seemingly stressful workload.
What to listen for:
- A systematic approach to prioritizing time and tasks
- Strong organizational skills
- The ability to keep a level head in stressful situations
Why this matters:
Healthcare administrators often work with a team of people, as well as multiple departments. This question demonstrates how the candidate handles interpersonal conflict among colleagues, as well as how well they collaborate as part of a team.
What to listen for:
- Examples of steps they have taken to resolve conflict
- The ability to be firm without escalating a situation
- Strong interpersonal skills
Why this matters:
Healthcare administrators work across projects. Some may drive policy changes or implementation, others may create employee incentives, and still others may implement community outreach. This question gives the candidate a chance to demonstrate which aspects of the work they are proudest of, or another positive moment in their career.
What to listen for:
- Strong leadership skills
- The ability to think outside the box
- A sense of ambition and drive when it comes to their work
Why this matters:
This is an opportunity for the candidate to showcase their relevant strengths and other qualities. The answer should also reveal how they perceive success, and how their professional qualities may contribute to the success of your organization.
What to listen for:
- Values that align with your company’s culture and mission
- Examples of important accomplishments for healthcare administrators
- Examples of these qualities in action
Why this matters:
This question gives the candidate the opportunity to talk about the areas of healthcare administration that they are most interested in. This could include financial management; policy; compliance; informatics; payor, patient, provider, or community relations; and more.
What to listen for:
- Excitement about specific aspects of healthcare administration
- A sense that they care about people and the well-being of society as a whole
- A strong understanding of the different specializations of healthcare administration
Why this matters:
Healthcare administrators often deliberate with their fellow leaders on how to uphold ethics in healthcare, such as issues involving patient privacy, access to care, and inequities among racial and ethnic groups.
What to listen for:
- A desire to act in the best interest of patients
- An understanding of the ethical challenges that healthcare professionals face
- An example of a time they may have had to compromise their ethics
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