Medical & Health Services Managers
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Medical and Health Services Managers
Keeping the nation's health care systems running smoothly takes good people and good management. The career education information presented here will help you learn more about careers in health care management, the job outlook, the education required, and the career opportunities.
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Medical & Health Services Managers
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Medical and Health Services Managers
Keeping the nation's health care systems running smoothly takes good people and good management. The career education information presented here will help you learn more about careers in health care management, the job outlook, the education required, and the career opportunities. |
Learn more in the career education information listed below:
- Job Description
- Employment
- Job Outlook
- Related Occupations
- Working Conditions
- Education, Training & Qualifications
- Salary Expectations
- Associations, Resources & Accreditation
Overview
- Earnings of medical and health services managers are high, but long work hours are common.
- A master's degree is the standard credential for most positions, although a bachelor's degree is adequate for some entry-level positions in smaller facilities.
- Employment will grow fastest in residential care facilities and practitioners' offices and clinics.
Job Description
Healthcare is a business and, like every other business, it needs good management to keep it running smoothly. The term "medical and health services manager" encompasses all individuals who plan, direct, coordinate, and supervise the delivery of healthcare. Medical and health services managers include specialists and generalists. Specialists are in charge of specific clinical departments or services, while generalists manage or help to manage an entire facility or system.
The structure and financing of healthcare is changing rapidly. Future medical and health services managers must be prepared to deal with evolving integrated healthcare delivery systems, technological innovations, an increasingly complex regulatory environment, restructuring of work, and an increased focus on preventive care. They will be called upon to improve efficiency in healthcare facilities and the quality of the healthcare provided. Increasingly, medical and health services managers will work in organizations in which they must optimize efficiency of a variety of interrelated services, for example, those ranging from inpatient care to outpatient follow-up care.
Large facilities usually have several assistant administrators to aid the top administrator and to handle daily decisions. They may direct activities in clinical areas such as nursing, surgery, therapy, medical records, or health information.
In smaller facilities, top administrators handle more of the details of daily operations. For example, many nursing home administrators manage personnel, finance, facility operations, and admissions, and have a larger role in resident care.
Clinical managers have more specific responsibilities than generalists, and have training or experience in a specific clinical area. For example, directors of physical therapy are experienced physical therapists, and most health information and medical record administrators have a bachelor's degree in health information or medical record administration. These managers establish and implement policies, objectives, and procedures for their departments; evaluate personnel and work; develop reports and budgets; and coordinate activities with other managers.
In group practices, managers work closely with physicians. Whereas an office manager may handle business affairs in small medical groups, leaving policy decisions to the physicians themselves, larger groups usually employ a full-time administrator to advise on business strategies and coordinate day-to-day business.
A small group of 10 or 15 physicians might employ one administrator to oversee personnel matters, billing and collection, budgeting, planning, equipment outlays, and patient flow. A large practice of 40 or 50 physicians may have a chief administrator and several assistants, each responsible for different areas.
Medical and health services managers in managed care settings perform functions similar to those in large group practices, except their staffs may be larger. In addition, they may do more work in the areas of community outreach and preventive care than managers of a group practice.
Some medical and health services managers oversee the activities of a number of facilities in health systems. Such systems may contain both inpatient and outpatient facilities and offer a wide range of patient services.
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Working Conditions
Most medical and health services managers work long hours. Facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals operate around the clock, and administrators and managers may be called at all hours to deal with problems. They also may travel to attend meetings or inspect satellite facilities.
Some managers work in comfortable, private offices; others share space with other managers or staff. They may spend considerable time walking, to consult with coworkers.
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Employment
Medical and health services managers held about 250,000 jobs in 2000. Almost 2 out of 5 jobs were in hospitals. About 1 in 5 were in nursing and personal care facilities or offices and clinics of physicians. The remainder worked mostly in home health agencies, ambulatory facilities run by state and local governments, offices of dentists and other health practitioners, medical and dental laboratories, residential care facilities, and other social service agencies.
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Education, Training & Qualifications
Medical and health services managers must be familiar with management principles and practices. A master's 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 bachelor's degree is adequate for some entry-level positions in smaller facilities and at the departmental level within healthcare organizations. Physicians' offices and some other facilities may substitute on-the-job experience for formal education.
For clinical department heads, a degree in the appropriate field and work experience may be sufficient for entry. However, a master's degree in health services administration or a related field may be required to advance. For example, nursing service administrators usually are chosen from among supervisory registered nurses with administrative abilities and a graduate degree in nursing or health services administration.
Bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in health administration are offered by colleges, universities, and schools of public health, medicine, allied health, public administration, and business administration. In 2001, 67 schools had accredited programs leading to the master's degree in health services administration, according to the Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration.
Some graduate programs seek students with undergraduate degrees in business or health administration; however, many graduate programs prefer students with a liberal arts or health profession background. Candidates with previous work experience in healthcare also may have an advantage. Competition for entry to these programs is keen, and applicants need above-average grades to gain admission. Graduate programs usually last between 2 and 3 years. They may include up to 1 year of supervised administrative experience, and course work in areas such as hospital organization and management, marketing, accounting and budgeting, human resources administration, strategic planning, health economics, and health information systems. Some programs allow students to specialize in one type of facility - hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, or medical groups. Other programs encourage a generalist approach to health administration education.
New graduates with master's degrees in health services administration may start as department managers or as staff employees. The level of the starting position varies with the experience of the applicant and size of the organization. Hospitals and other health facilities offer postgraduate residencies and fellowships, which usually are staff positions. Graduates from master's degree programs also take jobs in large group medical practices, clinics, mental health facilities, multifacility nursing home corporations, and consulting firms.
Graduates with bachelor's degrees in health administration usually begin as administrative assistants or assistant department heads in larger hospitals. They also may begin as department heads or assistant administrators in small hospitals or nursing homes.
All States and the District of Columbia require nursing home administrators to have a bachelor's degree, pass a licensing examination, complete a State-approved training program, and pursue continuing education. A license is not required in other areas of medical and health services management.
Medical and health services managers often are responsible for millions of dollars of facilities and equipment and hundreds of employees. To make effective decisions, they need to be open to different opinions and good at analyzing contradictory information. They must understand finance and information systems, and be able to interpret data. Motivating others to implement their decisions requires strong leadership abilities. Tact, diplomacy, flexibility, and communication skills are essential because medical and health services managers spend most of their time interacting with others.
Medical and health services managers advance by moving into more responsible and higher paying positions, such as assistant or associate administrator, or by moving to larger facilities.
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Job Outlook
Employment of medical and health services managers is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2010 as the health services industry continues to expand and diversify. Opportunities for managers will be closely related to growth in the industry in which they are employed. Opportunities will be especially good in home healthcare, long-term care, and nontraditional health organizations, such as managed care operations and consulting firms. Managers with work experience in the healthcare field and strong business and management skills should have the best opportunities.
Hospitals will continue to employ the most managers, although the number of jobs will grow slowly compared with other areas. As hospitals continue to consolidate, centralize, and diversify functions, competition will increase at all job levels. Medical and health services managers with experience in large facilities will enjoy the best job opportunities as hospitals become larger and more complex.
Employment will grow the fastest in residential care facilities and practitioners' offices and clinics. Many services previously provided in hospitals will continue to shift to these sectors, especially as medical technologies improve. Demand in medical group practice management will grow as medical group practices become larger and more complex. Medical and health services managers will need to deal with the pressures of cost containment and financial accountability, as well as with the increased focus on preventive care. They also will become more involved in trying to improve the health of their communities. Managers with specialized experience in a particular field, such as reimbursement, should have good opportunities.
Medical and health services managers also will be employed by healthcare management companies who provide management services to hospitals and other organizations, as well as specific departments such as emergency, information management systems, managed care contract negotiations, and physician recruiting.
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Salary Expectations
Median annual earnings of medical and health services managers were $56,370 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $44,460 and $72,550. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,210, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $97,900. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical and health services managers in 2000 were as follows:
- Hospitals $60,360
- Local government $56,800
- Offices and clinics of medical doctors $53,430
- Health and allied services, not elsewhere classified $51,800
- Nursing and personal care facilities $51,240
Earnings of medical and health services managers vary by type and size of the facility, as well as by level of responsibility. For example, the Medical Group Management Association reported that median salaries in 2000 for administrators by group practice size were $65,125 in practices with fewer than 7 physicians; $83,022 in practices with 7 to 25 physicians; and $96,402 in practices with more than 26 physicians.
According to a survey by Modern Healthcare magazine, median annual compensation in 2001 for managers of the following clinical departments was $67,200 in respiratory therapy, $69,900 in home healthcare, $71,400 in physical therapy, $76,500 in radiology, $77,100 in clinical laboratory, $79,700 in rehabilitation services, $85,200 in ambulatory and outpatient services, and $113,800 in nursing services. Salaries also varied according to size of facility and geographic region.
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Related Occupations
Medical and health services managers have training or experience in both health and management. Workers in other occupations requiring knowledge of both fields are insurance underwriters and social and community service managers.
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Associations, Resources & Accreditation
For information on careers in business economics, contact:
Information about undergraduate and graduate academic programs in this field is available from:
- Association of University Programs in Health Administration
For a list of accredited graduate programs in medical and health services administration, contact:
- Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration
For information about career opportunities in long-term care administration, contact:
- American College of Health Care Administrators
For information about career opportunities in medical group practices and ambulatory care management, contact
- Medical Group Management Association
For information about medical and healthcare office managers, contact:
- Professional Association of Health Care Office Management
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Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2002-03 Edition, Accountants and Auditors, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos001.htm
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Virginia College
Earn your associate's, bachelor's or master's degree from Virginia College. Our extensive programs are offered 100% online, so you can launch the career of your choice from the comfort of your own home.
Learn more about programs at Virginia College
Designed to meet the needs of working professionals, VC Online's criminal justice program is intended for current and aspiring professionals in the field--or anyone who wants to make their community safer.
Looking for a paralegal studies program that fits into your busy schedule? In VC Online's associate degree program, you'll work with industry-experienced faculty--from the comfort of your own computer.
Looking for a new or better criminal justice job? VC Online's BS in criminal justice can prepare you to become a:
- Courtroom administrator
- Police officer
- Private security officer
- Probation or parole officer
- Juvenile delinquency case manager
- Corrections officer
- Police detective
Criminal Justice in Homeland Security program at Virginia College, trains students in critical–thinking and program–management, and leadership skills needed within homeland security, an understanding of its history, domestic crime, substantive & procedural law within the criminal justice system, current homeland security policies, operational theories, functions and issues from domestic perspectives, and the ethical, political, social, environmental and economic issues related criminal investigations. Students will be able to differentiate the various threats to domestic security (including technological and political forms of terrorism) and the various phases of intelligence operations.
This program prepares students for potential careers in U.S. Border Patrol agents, Immigration inspectors, Customs inspectors, Federal Air Marshals, U.S. Secret Service special agents and U.S. Secret Service. Secret Service special agents also investigate counterfeiting, forgery of Government checks or bonds, and fraudulent use of credit cards.
The online bachelor?s degree in paralegal studies prepares graduates for employment in attorney?s offices, courtrooms, corporations, insurance companies, governmental offices and banks. This paralegal degree online provides knowledge of legal office procedures, delivery of legal services, legal research and writing and paralegal training in professional skills, general education, and technical competencies.
With the online paralegal degree from Virginia College, you can enter a skilled and prestigious profession, and one in which job growth is expected. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2006-07 Occupational Outlook Handbook, paralegal employment is projected to grow much faster than average, as employers reduce costs by hiring paralegals to perform tasks formerly carried out by lawyers.
This online bachelor degree program in paralegal studies is designed for those who require a degree for entry into the workforce or for advancement in a current position. It is especially helpful for those who may have accumulated credits toward a paralegal degree or who may already hold an associate?s degree in paralegal studies.
Complete the info request form and find out more about Virginia College?s online paralegal degree. Virginia College is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. Financial aid is available for those who qualify. Our faculty and staff are available to make sure you get the most from your online college experience at Virginia College.
The online Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) is designed for the busy criminal justice professional who seeks a career boost. Prepare for leadership positions in the courthouse, the police force, private security, corrections, parole and more.
Virginia College is a senior college accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award certificates, diplomas, associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees. The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
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Bryant & Stratton College - Online
Develop the skills you need to reach your goals at Bryant & Stratton College. We offer career-focused degrees in a number of today's fastest-growing fields. Study online or in small classes, and get a quality education that fits into your busy life.
Learn more about programs at Bryant & Stratton College - Online
Students study the Criminal Justice administrative structure, which includes analysis of international, federal, state and local agencies involved directly and indirectly in Criminal Justice. Students also examine the concept of crime through the study of varied criminal activity that occurs in today’s society. Graduates of the program are prepared for employment in positions that include: Police/Detective, Manager of police/detectives, First-line supervisor, Fish and Game wardens, Border agent, Homeland Security agent, Social worker, Social/human service assistant, Counselor, Parole officer, probation officer, and Correctional Treatment Specialist. Some typical jobs for criminal justice include (national salary averages from salary.com): Parole Officer ($38,200 - $58,300), Safety Representative I ($30,900 - $59,300), Border Patrol Guard ($24,800 - $52,100).
The Paralegal Studies program emphasizes practical hands-on applications and prepares students to analyze cases and to prepare legal forms and documents required in litigating law suits, prosecuting crimes, closing real estate transactions, and drafting documents used in custody, separation, and divorce proceedings. The program also emphasizes the ethical considerations for legal professionals as prescribed by the American Bar Association and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations. Graduates of this program are prepared for careers in private law firms or in other related occupations in government and legal departments of banks, corporations, insurance companies, accounting firms, and real estate development or property-management firms. Some typical jobs in paralegal studies include (national salary averages from salary.com): Court Reporter ($34,846 - $63,211), Paralegal I ($37,643 - $51,478), Paralegal II ($44,839 - $58,531).
Bryant and Stratton College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. This is a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Commission on Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation.
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Strayer University
Get the right foundation for your future with a degree from Strayer University. Evening, weekend and online classes are all available to meet the needs of busy adults.
Learn more about programs at Strayer University
This is your pathway to a career in Criminal Justice. If you are seeking a relevant and up-to-date foundation in Criminal Justice, Strayer University offers the Associate in Arts program. You?ll explore juvenile and adult crime prevention, adjudication and corrections while gaining important insight into the variety of career paths in this field. This program is ideal for you if you are interested in exploring the entire scope of the Criminal Justice profession, if you are seeking a quick entry into the field before continuing your education, and if you are currently working in the field but looking to make a change. Graduates of this program may apply all the credits earned toward a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Note: In Ohio, this program is called the Associate of Applied Business.
The legal studies concentration offers a combination of business and legal coursework that can prepare you to function successfully at the intersection of these two major industries.
The principle objective of the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is to teach students the theoretical, legal and operational aspects of crime and justice, equipping students with the knowledge and training needed to succeed in any of these fields.
This program is the ideal gateway for a variety of positions in the public and private sector. If you have a general interest in the field, or are currently employed in Criminal Justice seeking advancement, this degree is a vital component to your career aspirations. While students acquire fundamental (as well as practical and professional) skills in all areas of Criminal Justice, the Bachelor of Science program offers area concentrations that allow you to tailor your degree to your specific career and educational goals.
Students have the option of choosing a concentration in:
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Homeland Security Technology
- Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Computer Security and Forensics
The average time to complete this undergraduate program attending on a part-time basis, 9.0 credit hours per quarter, is 60 months.
- Programs may vary by state and by campus
The principle objective of the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is to teach students the theoretical, legal and operational aspects of crime and justice, equipping students with the knowledge and training needed to succeed in any of these fields.
This program is the ideal gateway for a variety of positions in the public and private sector. If you have a general interest in the field, or are currently employed in Criminal Justice seeking advancement, this degree is a vital component to your career aspirations. While students acquire fundamental (as well as practical and professional) skills in all areas of Criminal Justice, the Bachelor of Science program offers area concentrations that allow you to tailor your degree to your specific career and educational goals.
Students have the option of choosing a concentration in:
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Homeland Security Technology
- Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Computer Security and Forensics
The average time to complete this undergraduate program attending on a part-time basis, 9.0 credit hours per quarter, is 60 months.
- Programs may vary by state and by campus
The principle objective of the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is to teach students the theoretical, legal and operational aspects of crime and justice, equipping students with the knowledge and training needed to succeed in any of these fields.
This program is the ideal gateway for a variety of positions in the public and private sector. If you have a general interest in the field, or are currently employed in Criminal Justice seeking advancement, this degree is a vital component to your career aspirations. While students acquire fundamental (as well as practical and professional) skills in all areas of Criminal Justice, the Bachelor of Science program offers area concentrations that allow you to tailor your degree to your specific career and educational goals.
Students have the option of choosing a concentration in:
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Homeland Security Technology
- Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Computer Security and Forensics
The average time to complete this undergraduate program attending on a part-time basis, 9.0 credit hours per quarter, is 60 months.
- Programs may vary by state and by campus
The principle objective of the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice is to teach students the theoretical, legal and operational aspects of crime and justice, equipping students with the knowledge and training needed to succeed in any of these fields.
This program is the ideal gateway for a variety of positions in the public and private sector. If you have a general interest in the field, or are currently employed in Criminal Justice seeking advancement, this degree is a vital component to your career aspirations. While students acquire fundamental (as well as practical and professional) skills in all areas of Criminal Justice, the Bachelor of Science program offers area concentrations that allow you to tailor your degree to your specific career and educational goals.
Students have the option of choosing a concentration in:
- Criminal Justice Administration
- Homeland Security Technology
- Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Computer Security and Forensics
The average time to complete this undergraduate program attending on a part-time basis, 9.0 credit hours per quarter, is 60 months.
- Programs may vary by state and by campus
Strayer University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
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