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Practice administrator skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Teresa C. Smith MBA, PHR,

Jessica Cataldo Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical practice administrator skills. We ranked the top skills for practice administrators based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.3% of practice administrator resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a practice administrator needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 practice administrator skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how practice administrators use patients:

Initiated collection calls to patients for outstanding balances and Generated collection letters and followed up on outstanding /delinquent accounts.
Coordinate communications within the dental community to ensure patients' physicians are notified of diagnosis' and treatment recommendations.

2. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how practice administrators use patient care:

Evaluated patient care procedural changes for effectiveness and implemented new methods to improve patient satisfaction and quality of care.
Provide service excellence, maintain and enhance quality patient care practices through implementation of improved patient communication processes.

3. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how practice administrators use customer service:

Developed, negotiated, and managed business contracts with medical supply vendors while delivering exceptional customer service and enhancing existing relationships.
Establish an effective communication link with physician leadership within the practice location to facilitate provision of quality customer service.

4. Payroll

Payroll is the sum of all the compensation that an organization has to pay to employees at a specified time. Payroll is managed by the finance or HR department while small business owners may handle it themselves. Payroll isn't fixed as it varies every month due to sick leaves, overtime, etc.

Here's how practice administrators use payroll:

Performed all business functions including payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, personnel administration and information systems administrator.
Collaborated with Medical Director and Practice ownership in annual budget assessment, administered payroll and benefits for the practice.

5. Practice Management

Typically, practice management refers to the responsibility of managing all aspects of medical practice. Thus, it covers administration, operations, finance, information technology, human resources, marketing, and compliance. Practice management tasks are usually handled by a practice manager, administrator, CEO, and COO.

Here's how practice administrators use practice management:

Implemented new practice management and electronic health record program ensuring better collections and meeting meaningful use requirements.
Negotiated and implemented a hardware and software upgrade for the Medical Manager Practice Management computer system.

6. Oversight

Having oversight of someone means to monitor a process or a situation. If someone has oversight of something, they are responsible for the completion of the project. Oversight is usually given to experts as they monitor their juniors or newbies as they go through a project.

Here's how practice administrators use oversight:

Developed Business plan and build-out model for free-standing ambulatory care clinic with project management oversight of all aspects of build-out.
Expanded management team and mentored developing leaders, enhanced billing company oversight, updated process management documentation.

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7. EMR

Here's how practice administrators use emr:

Participated in strategic planning and development of EMR system and single specialty licensed surgical center.
Expanded EMR usage to include interactive accessibility throughout the Joint Replacement Center network.

8. Practice Operations

Here's how practice administrators use practice operations:

Managed practice operations including orthopedic surgery, physical therapy, work hardening program, billing activities, and financial management.
Achieved better than budget practice operations where considerable losses were experienced, increasing physician compensation and hospital bottom line.

9. Patient Satisfaction

Here's how practice administrators use patient satisfaction:

Enhance operational effectiveness, emphasizing cost containment without sacrificing efficiency, patient satisfaction or quality of care.
Evaluated organizational systems and made process changes to ensure quality medical care and exceptional patient satisfaction.

10. Human Resources

Human resources is a set of people in a business or a corporation that are designated to locate, interview, and recruit new employees into the company. They are also responsible to maintain the integrity of the employees and help them sort their problems out. They try to introduce and manage employee-benefit programs.

Here's how practice administrators use human resources:

Handled all aspects of Human Resources Management including recruiting, establishing employee training/education programs, and developing/overseeing employee benefits package.
Restructure of Human Resources department to accommodate practice growth and facilitate standardized policies and procedures across recently merged entity.

11. OSHA

Here's how practice administrators use osha:

Maintained OSHA compliance and Risk management requirements before becoming overdue.
Developed and implemented OSHA required policies.

12. Patient Flow

Here's how practice administrators use patient flow:

Evaluated operational efficacy and monitor delivery of patient services, including the review of physician activity to ensure efficient patient flow.
Managed all administration of private Cardiology Practice including, billing and collections, profitability, patient flow and personnel management.

13. HIPAA

Here's how practice administrators use hipaa:

Project management of developing and implementation of a centralized medical records department with primary focus on HIPAA compliance.
Evaluate compliance with HIPAA regulations and forecast future needs to maintain regulatory compliance

14. Revenue Cycle

Revenue cycle stands for a method to define and maintain the processes utilized for completing an accounting process to record the revenue generated from products/services provided by the company.

Here's how practice administrators use revenue cycle:

Spearheaded the successful transition of all pediatric clinic operations and revenue cycles for two separate hospital-employed cardiology practices within six weeks.
Analyzed revenue cycle data for twelve outpatient practices and presented monthly and quarterly reports to department administrators and physician leaders.

15. Physician Practice

Here's how practice administrators use physician practice:

Direct all operational aspects of a high-volume physician practice, including staffing, strategy development, and financial administration.
Managed the day to day operations for a two physician practice including specimen handling and state regulatory documentation.

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What skills help Practice Administrators find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on practice administrator resumes?

Teresa C. Smith MBA, PHR

Executive Director of Human Resources, SIU School of Medicine

Skills that stand out to me on resumes are solution building, collaboration, and an eagerness to learn. Communication is such a critical component of effectiveness, especially now. Given the pandemic, we have all had to learn to continue to connect in the midst of turmoil and disruption.

What soft skills should all practice administrators possess?

Jessica Cataldo Ph.D.

Assistant Professor & Internship Coordinator, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Much of health administration requires strong, soft skills, such as communication and leadership; however, technical skills are also important. Financial management, such as budgeting and revenue cycle management, billing/coding; project management; and data analysis skills are important. Additionally, computer skills are critical in today's environment. Medical and administrative software, such as electronic health records, are integral parts of every healthcare organization, and data analysis programs, such as Microsoft Excel or Tableau, are used regularly by administrators. And of course, we cannot overlook the importance of a strong understanding of the healthcare environment, such as an understanding of state and federal regulations.

What hard/technical skills are most important for practice administrators?

Linda Galocy

Director and Assistant Dean, Clinical Associate Professor, Indiana University Northwest

Technical skills are dependent on the job, but working with multiple types of software at one time is very common in the health information profession. Patient records are electronic. Therefore, the ability to learn and adapt to electronic health record systems is a must. In addition, supportive software is typically used in order to get the work done, such as an encoder, which allows a medical coder to assign codes to a patient record, a release of information system that is utilized for tracking requests for patient records from the time the request is received until it is complete. The ability for
+a health information professional to understand an entire process, such as the revenue cycle. There are many individuals involved in the process of obtaining payment for healthcare services rendered, and it is important for everyone to do their job, do it correctly, and when errors occur, work together to correct those errors.

What practice administrator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Karla Sluis

Marketing Manager, AXIS Health System

Graduates in all health fields should study the model of integrated healthcare and learn best practices for communicating and working with diverse providers outside their specific field. It would be helpful to study the approach to care for underserved populations, such as youth, seniors, LGBTQ, and migrant workers. An exploration of telehealth would be useful, including familiarity with various video chat platforms. Improving customer service skills is also helpful when Google Reviews can make or break a business reputation. Grads might also learn another language to better serve patients in their region. The app Duolingo is my personal favorite, and it's fun!

What type of skills will young practice administrators need?

Veronica Cochran

CEO, International Association of Administrative Professionals

Those entering the administrative profession in the upcoming years will find it beneficial to understand what it means to be a strategic partner to their direct manager/supervisor, department, and organization at-large. As strategic partners, their role will extend beyond being a support person. It will involve strategically aligning oneself to fulfilling the organization's mission and vision while achieving business outcomes and success. The following skills will optimize both professional and organizational effectiveness:

1. Time management and organization
2. High EQ and interpersonal communication
3. Leadership effectiveness and accountability
4. Relationship management - (high inclusion capacity and high collaboration)
5. Problem-solving and innovation
6. Strategic planning and adaptability

What technical skills for a practice administrator stand out to employers?

Robin Kerkstra

Assistant Professor, Junior Clinic Coordinator, University of New Haven

Technical skills required for employment as a dental assistant will vary from state to state based on the state's dental practice act. Possessing the certifications needed to perform the technical skills allowed by each state is an important aspect to obtaining employment in the dental field. It will be important to be well-versed and up to date on the latest recommendations for dental offices from the CDC and the American Dental Association related to Covid-19. Additional skills such excellent organization, a detail-oriented personality, good dexterity, professional demeanor, strong communication skills, and a compassionate attitude will stand out to employers.

Do you want to know more?

List of practice administrator skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a practice administrator resume and required skills for a practice administrator to have include:

Patients
Patient Care
Customer Service
Payroll
Practice Management
Oversight
EMR
Practice Operations
Patient Satisfaction
Human Resources
OSHA
Patient Flow
HIPAA
Revenue Cycle
Physician Practice
Regulatory Compliance
Healthcare Administration

Medical Practice
Surgery
Primary Care
EHR
Financial Performance
Clinical Operations
Front Desk
Financial Management
Office Operations
CLIA
Performance Reviews
Hippa
Internal Medicine
Insurance Verification
Regulatory Agencies
CPT
Business Operations

PQRS
Accounts Receivables
Medical Billing
FTE
Performance Evaluations
Patient Complaints
Medicaid
Staff Training
Insurance Claims
JCAHO
Office Policies
Business Development
Family Practice
QuickBooks
Private Practice

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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