Medical or Health Services Manager

Plan, direct, or coordinate medical and health services in hospitals, clinics, managed care organizations, public health agencies, or similar organizations.

On the job, you would:

Direct, supervise and evaluate work activities of medical, nursing, technical, clerical, service, maintenance, and other personnel.
Develop and maintain computerized record management systems to store and process data, such as personnel activities and information, and to produce reports.
Plan, implement, and administer programs and services in a health care or medical facility, including personnel administration, training, and coordination of medical, nursing and physical plant staff.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Medical and health services managers review and evaluate healthcare metrics for ways to improve efficiency and meet goals.

Communication skills. Medical and health services managers must convey information to their staff, other healthcare workers, and, sometimes, patients and insurance agents.

Detail oriented. Medical and health services managers must pay attention to detail. They might be required to organize and maintain scheduling and billing information for very large facilities, such as hospitals.

Leadership skills. Medical and health services managers hire, train, and direct staff. They must be able to motivate others and create an environment in which workers can succeed.

Technical skills. Medical and health services managers must stay up to date with advances in healthcare technology, such as the coding and electronic health record (EHR) systems their facility adopts.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		95%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		94%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		94%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		92%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		89%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		89%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		88%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		87%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		87%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		85%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		83%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		81%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		80%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		80%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		72%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		72%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
		67%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
		67%	Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		83%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		83%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		83%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		78%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
		67%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		61%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		81%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		78%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		75%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		75%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		75%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		75%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		72%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		69%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		66%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		63%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		56%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		53%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		59%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		59%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		59%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		59%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		59%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
		59%	Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
		57%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		57%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		57%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		57%	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
		57%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
		55%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		55%	Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
		55%	Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
		55%	Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
		55%	Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
		54%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
		52%	Management of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
		52%	Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Evaluate employee performance.

Supervise employees.

Develop organizational goals or objectives.

Develop procedures to evaluate organizational activities.

Conduct employee training programs.

Hire personnel.

Recruit personnel.

Develop computer or information systems.

Maintain operational records.

Implement organizational process or policy changes.

Develop organizational policies or programs.

Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.

Direct financial operations.

Prepare operational budgets.

Prepare staff schedules or work assignments.

Liaise between departments or other groups to improve function or communication.

Monitor performance of organizational members or partners.

Monitor resources.

Maintain knowledge of current developments in area of expertise.

Manage operations, research, or logistics projects.

Prepare operational progress or status reports.

Implement organizational process or policy changes.

Conduct employee training programs.

Manage human resources activities.

Coordinate operational activities with external stakeholders.

Inspect condition or functioning of facilities or equipment.

Advise others on legal or regulatory compliance matters.

Monitor facilities or operational systems.

Analyze risks to minimize losses or damages.

Implement organizational process or policy changes.

Conduct employee training programs.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		100%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		98%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		98%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		97%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		96%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		90%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		84%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		81%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		78%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		78%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		77%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		74%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		73%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		72%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		70%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		69%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		68%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		68%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		64%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		63%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		61%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		60%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		59%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		73%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		91%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		89%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		89%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		88%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		87%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		86%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		86%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		84%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		83%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		83%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		82%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		82%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		82%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		81%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		80%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		80%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		79%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
		78%	Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
		78%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		78%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		77%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		76%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		74%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		74%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		72%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		72%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		71%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		70%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		69%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		64%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		56%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		56%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		52%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

What Medical and Health Services Managers Do

In group medical practices, medical and health services managers work closely with physicians.

Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services. They may manage an entire facility, a specific clinical area or department, or a medical practice for a group of physicians. Medical and health services managers must adapt to changes in healthcare laws, regulations, and technology.

Duties

Medical and health services managers typically do the following:

Develop goals and objectives related to efficiency and quality of healthcare services
Ensure that the facility in which they work complies with laws and regulations
Prepare and monitor budgets and manage finances, including patient fees and billing
Recruit, train, and supervise staff members
Create work schedules
Represent the facility or department at investor meetings or on governing boards
Keep and organize records of facility services, such as the number of inpatient beds used

Medical and health services managers set and carry out policies, goals, and procedures for their departments or facilities. Their duties include hiring, scheduling, and evaluating staff; monitoring compliance with state and federal guidelines; and developing reports and budgets. Responsibilities may vary by employer. For example, managers of large facilities may focus on broad oversight, while tasks for those in small departments might include ordering medical supplies and materials.

Medical and health services managers work with physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, medical records specialists, and other healthcare personnel. They also may interact with patients or insurance agents.

Medical and health services managers’ titles depend on their facility or area of expertise.

The following are examples of types of medical and health services managers:

Nursing home administrators manage all aspects of a facility, including admissions and building maintenance, as well as care of its residents.

Clinical managers oversee a department, such as intensive care or physical therapy, and have responsibilities based on that specialty.

Health information managers ensure that databases of patient records are complete, accurate, and accessible only to authorized personnel.

Work Environment

Medical and health services managers held about 509,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of medical and health services managers were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private	30%
Offices of physicians	12
Nursing and residential care facilities	9
Government	7
Outpatient care centers	7

Medical and health services managers may work on a team with other healthcare providers, such as licensed practical nurses and medical assistants.

Work Schedules

Most medical and health services managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Evening or weekend work may be required in healthcare settings that operate around the clock, such as hospitals and nursing homes. Medical and health services managers may need to be on call in case of emergencies.

Getting Started

Education:

46%

Bachelor's Degree

21%

Master's Degree

How to Become a Medical or Health Services Manager

Medical and health services managers must effectively communicate policies and procedures with other health professionals.

Medical and health services managers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation; however, educational requirements vary by facility and specific function. Prospective managers also typically need work experience in an administrative or clinical role in a hospital or other healthcare facility.

Education

Medical and health services managers typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation, although requirements may vary. For example, some employers hire candidates with an associate’s degree; others prefer to hire those with a master’s degree. Work experience sometimes may substitute for education.

Common majors for medical and health services managers include healthcare and related fields, such as health administration or nursing, or other relevant fields, such as business. Degrees that focus on both management and healthcare combine business-related topics with those such as medical terminology, hospital organization, and health information systems. For example, a degree in health administration or health information management may include courses in health services management, accounting and budgeting, and health informatics.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Employers may require prospective medical and health services managers to have work experience in either an administrative or a clinical role in a hospital or other healthcare facility. For example, nursing home administrators may have years of experience working as a registered nurse.

Other managers may begin their careers as medical records specialists, administrative assistants, or financial clerks in a healthcare office.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Some medical and health services managers need a state-issued license. For example, all states require licensure for nursing home administrators; requirements vary by state. For more information, contact your local or state licensing board.

Some positions may require candidates to be licensed as a registered nurse or social worker.

Although certification is not required, some managers choose to earn a professional credential. For example, the American Health Information Management Association and the Project Management Institute offer certification specific to their areas of focus.

Advancement

Some health information managers advance by taking on additional responsibilities, such as for an entire hospital’s information systems. Other managers may advance to top executive positions within an organization. Advancement to top level executive positions may require a master’s degree.

Job Outlook

Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 28 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 54,700 openings for medical and health services managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

As the large baby-boom population enters older age groups, which typically experience more health problems, there should be increased demand for healthcare services. This means there will be greater need for physicians and other healthcare workers, medical procedures, and healthcare facilities, and therefore greater need for managers to organize and oversee medical information and healthcare staff. These managers are important for improving care coordination, which is key in team-based care.

In addition, widespread use of electronic health records (EHRs) will continue to create demand for managers with knowledge of health information technology (IT) and informatics systems. Medical and health services managers will be needed to organize, oversee, and integrate these records across areas of the healthcare industry.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about medical and healthcare management, visit

Professional Association of Health Care Office Management

American Health Information Management Association

American College of Health Care Administrators

For more information about academic programs in this field, visit

Association of University Programs in Health Administration

Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education

For information about career opportunities in healthcare management, visit

American College of Healthcare Executives

For information about career opportunities in medical group practices and ambulatory care management, visit

Medical Group Management Association

For more information about licensure and training requirements for nursing home and assisted-living facility administrators, visit

National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards

For more information about project management certification, visit

Project Management Institute

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of medical and health services managers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Administrative Services and Facilities Managers	Administrative services and facilities managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently.	Bachelor's degree	$101,870
Computer and Information Systems Managers	Computer and information systems managers plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization.	Bachelor's degree	$164,070
Financial Managers	Financial managers create financial reports, direct investment activities, and develop plans for the long-term financial goals of their organization.	Bachelor's degree	$139,790
Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars	Health information technologists and medical registrars advise organizations on computerized healthcare systems and analyze clinical data.	Associate's degree	$58,250
Human Resources Managers	Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization.	Bachelor's degree	$130,000
Medical Records Specialists	Medical records specialists compile, process, and maintain patient files.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$47,180
Purchasing Managers, Buyers, and Purchasing Agents	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations. Purchasing managers oversee the work of buyers and purchasing agents.	Bachelor's degree	$75,120
Registered Nurses	Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions.	Bachelor's degree	$81,220
Social and Community Service Managers	Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being.	Bachelor's degree	$74,240
Top Executives	Top executives plan strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals.	Bachelor's degree	$100,090

Medical or Health Services Manager

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What Medical and Health Services Managers Do

Duties

Work Environment

Work Schedules

Getting Started

How to Become a Medical or Health Services Manager

Education

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Advancement

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations