3 Things You Should Know If You Want to Be a Medical and Health Services Manager

As the worlds of healthcare, technology and public health continue to grow and evolve, so do the occupations that comprise these fields including that of medical and health services managers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the need for medical and health services managers will increase in coming years, meaning a paralleled increase in job opportunities. Keep reading to learn if this occupation could be the right fit for you!

1. You can wear many hats

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health services managers, otherwise known as healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, organize, manage and coordinate medical and health services. They could manage an entire facility, certain clinical areas or departments, or medical practices for physicians. These professionals are required to direct changes to follow healthcare laws, rules and technology. Specific duties include managing patient billing and expenses, organizing and tracking budgets for departments and facilities, making sure their facilities are safe and compliant with regulations, hiring and supervising department staff, making staff schedules, managing records of services provided by the facility and more.

2. It’s a growing field

Employment for medical and health services managers is predicted to grow 20% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all professions. As the baby-boomer generation ages and people remain active throughout older age, there should be greater need for healthcare services.

As the necessity for healthcare services increases so will the need for healthcare workers, healthcare facilities, medical procedures and someone to manage all of these growing needs. Aside from that, increased use of electronic health records (EHRs) will create higher demand for managers with a breadth of knowledge in health information technology and informatics systems. The demand for medical and health services managers outside of hospitals is also expected to grow as medical services once provided in hospitals will move to health practitioners’ offices. An increase in medical group practice management is estimated to increase as medical practices become bigger and more multifaceted.

3. You can use the skills you already have to excel in this leadership role

Are you a nimble communicator? Maybe you’re highly analytical or have a strong eye for detail? If you possess these qualities among several others deemed to be important for this role by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, working as a medical and health services manager could be a natural fit for you.

Analytical skills: These managers need to understand and abide by current regulations and familiarize their departments or facilities to new laws.

Communication skills: Medical and health services managers are required to successfully communicate regulations and processes to other health professionals and confirm their staff’s compliance with new rules and procedures.

Detail oriented: Medical and health services managers need to have a close eye for detail. They might have to organize and manage scheduling and financial information for hospitals, nursing homes or group medical practices.

Interpersonal skills: As healthcare facility leaders, managers go over staffing problems and patient data with medical practitioners and health insurance agents.

Leadership skills: These managers are often accountable for finding resolutions to staffing or other administrative issues as they are responsible to employ, train, encourage and lead facility staff.

Technical skills: It’s imperative that medical and health services managers are privy to advances in healthcare technology and data analytics. For example, they may need to use coding and classification software and electronic health record (EHR) systems as their facility adopts these technologies.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a medical and health services manager a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree could help you reach your goal. Learn more about Chamberlain’s Master of Public Health degree program now.

By Kari Lawrence