Medical and Health Services Managers See More Careers

Nature of the Job

Health care is a business and, like every business, it needs good management to keep it running smoothly. Medical and health services managers, also referred to as health care executives or health care administrators, plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of health care. These workers are either specialists in charge of a specific clinical department or generalists who manage an entire facility or system.

Training

Medical and health services managers must be familiar with management principles and practices. A masters degree in health services administration, long-term care administration, health sciences, public health, public administration, or business administration is the standard credential for most generalist positions in this field. However, a bachelors degree is adequate for some entry-level positions in smaller facilities, at the departmental level within health care organizations, and in health information management.

Employment Opportunities

Medical and health services managers held about 262,000 jobs in 2006. About 37 percent worked in hospitals, and another 22 percent worked in offices of physicians or in nursing and residential care facilities. Most of the remainder worked in home health care services, Federal Government health care facilities, outpatient care centers, insurance carriers, and community care facilities for the elderly.

Additional Resources:

• American College of Health Care Administrators
• American College of Healthcare Executives
• American Health Information Management Association
• Association of University Programs in Health Administration
• Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
• Medical Group Management Association