A Diploma of Practice Management is the qualification you need to take your healthcare administration career to the next level. This course will give you the knowledge and skills to perform in a supervisory role in various healthcare settings, from a general practitioner’s office to a dental clinic or specialist healthcare facility. If you enjoy leading a team of staff and assisting patients with their healthcare needs, this course could be a great choice for you. You’ll develop the skills to manage the daily running of a practice and coordinate administrative systems.
The Diploma of Practice Management addresses a range of topics to improve your understanding of healthcare systems. You’ll explore a range of administration systems and explore issues such as infection control. You’ll develop a knowledge of medical terminology and be able to use it confidently in a health administration setting. This course also covers a range of business skills such as customer service, risk management, budgeting, finance and human resources management.
A Diploma of Practice Management is an ideal course of study for the following careers:
Practice Manager
A Practice Manager coordinates the daily running of a healthcare facility. You might manage the operations of a medical centre, dental practice or specialist healthcare provider. Practice Managers oversee staffing issues, manage administrative systems and deal with any issues that arise. You might process patient accounts, take care of budgeting and finances, manage stock levels and deal with enquiries from patients or other care providers.
Patient Liaison Officer
A Patient Liaison Officer provides a range of support services to patients and their families during their treatment at a healthcare facility or hospital. You might answer their queries or provide information relating to their treatment or recovery. Patient Liaison Officers also help patients to access community support or connect them with other relevant services. You may also deal with any administrative issues that arise or respond to concerns or complaints.
Ward Clerk
A Ward Clerk oversees a range of administrative duties in a hospital ward or specialist department. You might supervise a team of staff and take care of tasks such as answering phone calls or ordering supplies. Ward Clerks attend to patient paperwork and make sure patient files are up to date. You might also answer enquiries from patients or family members and respond to any problems that arise on a ward.
Higher education pathways
A Diploma of Practice Management can give you the skills you need to advance your career in medical administration. You could also specialise your skills with a Certificate IV in Medical Practice Assisting or a Certificate IV in Health Administration. You could also further your studies with a Diploma of Clinical Coding.
If you want to advance your studies, you could enrol in a university degree such as a Bachelor of Health Information Management or a Bachelor of Applied Business (Management). A university degree can further your career opportunities and may allow you to take on a position with more responsibility. You may be able to use a Diploma of Practice Management as a pathway to these courses.
Getting started
If you’re considering enrolling in a Diploma of Practice Management, it’s important you find the course provider that’s right for you. There is usually some variation in how courses are delivered, so contact a range of providers to request information about the duration of the course, costs, any prerequisites and the content the course will cover. Once you have all the information, you can compare details and find the course that best meets your needs.