A clinic administrator oversees the daily operations of a medical clinic. She is in charge of patient relations, personnel administration and the facility’s fiscal management. The staff relies on her for guidance and expects her to run the clinic professionally and profitably.

Types of Clinic Administrators

This job may require the administrator to run a clinic that provides general health care or one that specializes in a certain type of treatment or therapy. Specialized clinics frequently focus on hospice care, gynecology and obstetrics, physical therapy, counseling or radiology. A clinic administrator can work for a privately-owned or government-funded organization.

Job Duties

The job responsibilities of a clinic administrator include screening, hiring and supervising personnel; developing and enforcing policies and procedures; and ensuring optimal patient relations. She is also required to develop and get approval of budgets and pay scales. In clinical settings that specialize in specific treatments, the clinic administrator frequently serves as a consultant. Knowledge of insurance processes, new medical treatments and government guidelines is required to be a clinical administrator.

Working Conditions

Her scope of accountability requires a clinic administrator to be on call 24 hours a day to address critical situations. The facility at which she works may be large or small and located in a metropolitan, suburban or rural locale. Patients who come to her clinic for treatment are normally from a diverse demographic background.

Educational Requirements

A bachelor’s degree is usually required to be a clinical administrator. Some employers prefer degrees focused on health or business administration. Clinics that offer specialized treatments often require a master’s or doctoral degree to qualify for clinic administrator positions.

Salary and Advancement Opportunities

The yearly salary range for a clinical administrator in the United States ranges between $30,000 and $45,000 as of June 2010. The variance depends on the state in which the clinic is located as well as if it is privately or publicly funded. Clinical administrators who work in specialty clinics can make up to $65,000 per year.

Chances for advancement depend on the size of the clinic. If the clinic is large, a clinical administrator may be able to progress to a position as a financial or executive officer. Clinical administrators at smaller facilities may seek out positions with more responsibilities and better salaries at larger clinics. A significant number of clinical administrators apply their skills to other medically related fields to promote their careers.