The majority of hospitals and community clinics are non-profit organizations, which are entitled to charitable tax benefits because they provide essential services to the community. If you obtain your Master’s in Health Care, whether in Health Administration or another area of specialization, you can look forward to jobs managing non-profit assisted living facilities, community clinics, health care associations, hospitals, mental health organizations, rehabilitation centers and other tax-exempt organizations. You could also go to work for a research organization combating a specific disease, or a health advocacy organization raising awareness and informing the public of better health practices and needs.
Hospitals and Clinics
Many hospitals and clinics are non-profit organizations. They employ health care professionals with master’s degrees in different capacities, from human resources administrators to health informatics or information systems to nursing administration. Depending upon the emphasis of your degree program, you could work in a rural health care system of clinics, or a busy inner-city hospital system. A number of long-term care hospitals operate as not-for-profits as well. Children’s hospitals and disease-specific clinics, including cancer care centers, are also frequently non-profit organizations.
Community-Based Health Organizations
You will find community clinics which serve needy families with children in every region of the country. These organizations utilize a combination of government funding and community donations to provide healthcare for no or very low-cost to uninsured or very low income people. Community-based health centers have become increasingly sophisticated and organized. They collect research and data on public health-related matters, and serve as policy advocates as well. The National Association of Community Health Centers offers job listings, training, and conferences for health center administrators and other health care professionals.
Mental Health Centers and Special Needs Organizations
Community-based mental health organizations are non-profits that are part of the nation’s mental health system. These organizations need managers and administrators with a specialty in mental health, counseling or family and child therapy. Some non-profit mental health organizations serve special needs, such as child abuse, adoption, foster care, or prison re-entry programs. Individuals with developmental disabilities are another population needing health administrators and managers. You may find a position in a regional disability center, which is a privately-operated non-profit organization providing health and other support services to the developmentally disabled and their families.
Research and Advocacy Organizations
Yet another sector of the not-for-profit community which serves health needs are research organizations, which raise funds to support medical and health research, often to find a cure for a specific disease such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes or lung disease. Many of these organizations are well-known and have chapters in local communities across the nation. Health advocacy and policy organizations focus less on direct research and more on providing information about health care needs or specific health risks.
Thinking about health administration and management in non-profits in a broad, inclusive way, opens up diverse opportunities to get a job with a Master’s of Health Care in Non-Profit Organizations. Graduate-level education in non-profit administration will provide you with knowledge of best-practices in the non-profit organization, from financial management to strategic planning and working with community leaders and stakeholders. Education in health care administration provides the background you will need to serve community health needs in the job you choose.
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