What Would I do in Health Services Management?

The healthcare industry is booming, with more than 1 million jobs added in the last five years, and an expected job growth of more than 4 million predicted between 2012 and 2022.1 Among those healthcare professionals expected to see the most solid career opportunities, along with good salaries, are health services managers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Do you have what it takes to become a manager in healthcare? Here’s what you might do:

You would need to understand, adhere to and promote the mission of the healthcare facility you work for. Health service managers hold respected positions of authority and always strive to meet the long-term goals of their facilities. For example, if you worked for a health center, you might coordinate wellness programs and vaccination clinics as a community outreach director.

As a health services manager, you might manage an entire facility or a single healthcare department. You could be in charge of a hospital’s physical therapy department or you might work as a home health services manager, coordinating the professionals who travel to patient homes to provide an assortment of healthcare services.

One of your most important roles would be to manage your healthcare team and work with other professionals in the field. You would be involved in the recruiting and training of a wide range of medical personnel, making certain that everyone performs their individual jobs to the best of their abilities, while always remembering that they’re an important part of a team. You would also need to coordinate staff and schedules to ensure quality improvement and patient safety.

You would work with payroll, budgets and financial planning as a health services manager. You’d need to understand legislation and regulations that affect healthcare, such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and regulatory agencies such as the Joint Commission. You would need to be familiar with electronic medical records and coding. You would also be involved with planning for your department or facility’s long-range goals and objectives.

Health service managers are well-organized problem solvers who have a passion for quality patient care. Are you looking to advance your career as a health professional? Health service managers are vital members of the medical profession and according to the BLS, they will see much faster than average job growth through 2022.2 If you’d like to learn how you could train for this rewarding profession, contact us at American National University to check out our Medical and Health Services Management program today.

1 http://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2014/spring/art03.pdf
2 http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm