Job opportunities for medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, are projected to grow at a rate that is much faster than average over the next decade. This makes a degree in healthcare management a smart choice for those who have the skills and interests that align with roles in this field.

What Is Healthcare Management?

Healthcare organizations are complex and continuously changing. In order for an organization to be successful, its patients must receive high-quality, effective care consistently and be highly satisfied with the level of care they receive. Its employees must enjoy what they do, believe that their work is meaningful, and have a strong desire to stay with the organization. Its policies and procedures must meet stringent safety and quality guidelines, be routinely reviewed and updated, and reflect changing research in the healthcare field. Its building and grounds must be safe and in good working condition, regularly inspected, and routinely tested and maintained. Its staff must hold specific licenses, certifications, and other recognized credentials and receive ongoing training and competency testing to care for patients. Its finances must be sustainable and support wages, salaries, operating expenses, and capital purchases.

Healthcare managers oversee the complex management of healthcare organizations, ensuring all of these interconnected pieces come together to deliver high-quality patient care in a financially sustainable way. While they may not be experts in any of the unique areas — finance, human resources, medicine, diagnostics, or nursing, for example — they work with a team of interdisciplinary leaders to drive results.

Daily Responsibilities of a Healthcare Manager

Healthcare managers can work in a variety of roles in a hospital or healthcare facility, from floor supervisor to administrator or executive. In general, they plan, direct, and coordinate the strategy and activity of the organization. Some of the most common duties that fall under the healthcare manager umbrella include:

  • Evaluate, compare, recommend, select, and implement electronic systems for a variety of functions within healthcare including credentialing, recruitment, personnel management, performance management, quality measurement, patient satisfaction, medical records, IT ticket management, and more

  • Select, direct, supervise, and manage the performance of personnel across all disciplines (clerical, clinical, technical, maintenance, finance, etc.)

  • Develop, review, approve, revise, and implement policies and procedures according to best practice

  • Stay up-to-date of changes in the healthcare climate, including emerging research on best practice in healthcare delivery, patient satisfaction, medicine, equipment, quality, staff retention, and more

  • Establish and administer budgets; review and approve spending; and coordinate, review, and share financial reporting

  • Plan for the future by identifying organizational strategy, opportunities, and challenges as well as by mitigating risk

  • Engage with local neighborhoods and other stakeholders to solve problems that impact the community as a whole, support public health efforts, and increase awareness and perception of the organization

Responsibilities for healthcare administrators vary greatly depending on their roles and the organization. In a supervisor role, for example, they may spend much of their time on scheduling, hiring, and coaching employees. An executive, meanwhile, will spend more time engaging with the community, driving organizational culture, and evaluating service utilization to drive improvement.

Top Skills Needed to Succeed

The best healthcare administrators have certain skills in common:

  • Speaking. Healthcare administrators speak publicly on a frequent basis and communicate with employees, patients, physicians, colleagues, and stakeholders daily.

  • Decision Making. Healthcare administrators will often make the final decision between multiple options, comparing and contrasting each potential choice to determine which opportunity poses the greatest benefit and the least risk.

  • Service Orientation. A desire to help others is at the center of any successful career as a health services manager.

  • Managing Financial Resources. Healthcare administrators are responsible for millions of dollars annually; it’s crucial these funds are allocated appropriately for the benefit of the patients and the communities they serve.

  • Social Perceptiveness. As the face of an organization, especially when they work in an executive role, healthcare managers must be able to read the social cues given by those around them and understand why people react the way they do.

  • Systems Evaluation. In your career in healthcare administration, you'll often evaluate different electronic systems to determine which best meets your needs and provides the greatest value.

  • Negotiation. Leaders in health services often bring others together and assist them in resolving conflicts and reconciling differences.


Starting Your Degree in Healthcare Management

Working in healthcare management typically requires an associate degree, bachelor's degree, or higher in healthcare management or a related field. Those with clinical degrees (nursing, rad tech, laboratory science, etc.) can often advance into management with a combination of their clinical education and experience, but those hoping to work in health administration without providing care in a direct patient-facing role first will need a healthcare management degree. Executive roles will typically require an advanced degree (such as a master's or higher).

Skills Learned

While you earn your health management degree, your coursework will help you develop the skills you need to be successful in future employment. The skills you can expect to refine during the course of your degree program include speaking, critical thinking, coordination of resources, active listening, decision making, writing, reading comprehension, managing people, persuasion, financial management, analysis, instruction, and more.

Courses

Healthcare management courses vary depending on the program you choose, such as an associate or bachelor's degree. A few of the courses you can expect to take during your program include:

  • Computer Applications in Healthcare

  • Interpersonal and Communication Skills

  • Principles of Management and Leadership

  • Human Resources Management

  • Business Report Writing

  • Principles of Accounting

  • Healthcare Delivery Systems, Organization, and Administration

  • Public Speaking and Presentations

  • Business Law and Legal Aspects in Healthcare

  • Healthcare Financing

  • Risk Management in Healthcare Settings


The coursework within a healthcare administration program is designed to build your understanding of all aspects of healthcare leadership, from finance to human resources and quality assurance, so you can best support your leaders in each of these areas.

Benefits of Online Learning

Schools that offer an online health management degree program open the doors for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to continue their education: those who are full-time parents, must maintain a job, have packed calendars, without access to reliable transportation to class, and more.

Online learning provides added flexibility for students and, often, self-paced learning that accommodates those who work quickly and need more time. It requires students to demonstrate a high level of initiative and personal accountability in order to succeed, which can be a strong predictor of future success in their leadership roles. It also gives students an opportunity to develop and refine their technology skills, which will be utilized in any healthcare administration role they fill. 

CHCP's Online Programs

At The College of Health Care Professions, we serve the healthcare management education needs of a number of successful medical coders, receptionists, and patient care providers to help them advance their careers and complete their degree while working and caring for their families.

We offer both an associate and a bachelor's degree in Health Care Management. It takes about two years to earn the AAS in Health Care Management. This degree may qualify you for roles like office coordinator, clinic coordinator, business office manager, administrative assistant, or executive assistant in a healthcare setting. It takes about four years to earn the  bachelor's in health care management, which can qualify you for roles like nursing home administrator, assisted living administrator, supply chain manager, practice manager, quality improvement manager, or healthcare department manager.

Executive roles like CEO, COO, CFO, or CHRO typically require a master's degree or higher, but some organizations may choose candidates with an adequate combination of education and experience.

To take the first step toward launching your career in healthcare administration, visit us at CHCP to learn more about online health management degrees today.