Healthcare Manager

Last Updated On Aug 21, 2024

Expert Verified: Catherine Burger, MSOL, RN, NEA-BC, LNC

8 Min Read

What is a Healthcare Manager?

For those with a passion for health and medicine but who prefer a role on the more administrative side of operations, becoming a healthcare manager could be a great career opportunity. Healthcare managers often blend the business and health sectors together, working alongside providers to oversee the planning, budgeting, and policy needs of an institution. This type of position will typically require great time management abilities, interpersonal skills, and strong communication.

If you’re interested in this role, you might be interested in a few other related nursing specializations:

Role	Responsibilities	Required Skills	Typical Education
Clinical Manager	Supervises specific clinical departments (e.g., nursing, radiology), ensures high-quality patient care, manages staff, develops policies	Clinical expertise, leadership, organizational skills, communication	Bachelor’s or Master’s in Nursing, Healthcare Administration
Health Information Manager	Manages patient data and medical records, ensures data accuracy and security, oversees health information systems	Data management, attention to detail, knowledge of health IT, analytical skills	Bachelor’s in Health Information Management or a related field
Public Health Nurse	Educate communities about health issues, conduct health screenings, develop and implement public health programs, provide direct care in community settings	RN license, BSN required, MPH (Master's in Public Health) beneficial	Community health centers, schools, public health departments, nonprofit organizations
Nursing Home Administrator	Oversees operations of nursing homes, manages staff, ensures resident care, handles budgets, maintains regulatory compliance	Leadership, knowledge of elder care, financial management, communication	Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration, Nursing, or related field; state licensure
Practice Manager	Manages day-to-day operations of medical practices, oversees billing, staff management, handles patient scheduling, ensures regulatory compliance	Leadership, communication, financial management, organizational skills	Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration, Business, or related field

How Do I Become a Healthcare Manager?

Most healthcare managers will start on the traditional secondary education path, achieving a bachelor's or associate's degree, and with many who continue on to pursue a master's degree or doctoral degree if they are interested in working at the highest levels. In addition to the educational requirements, healthcare managers should also have strong leadership and solid organizational skills.

What Are the Schooling Requirements?

Most healthcare manager positions will call for a bachelor's degree in a related area, such as health administration, public health, business, or nursing from an accredited school. Many opportunities at higher levels will also request a master's degree in a related field, such as the Master’s in Healthcare Management or Master’s in Healthcare Administration. A dual graduate degree that covers nursing as well as business and/or administration, such as the Dual MSN/MBA degree or the Dual MSN/MHA degree, may be particularly advantageous for the most senior roles. Depending on your own background and expertise, there are a variety of pathways to becoming a healthcare manager. For example, if you were previously a medical doctor or licensed RN, but are interested in shifting over to the business and management side, a 2-year master's degree would likely be a good option.

Are Any Certifications or Licenses Needed?

For the most part, certification is not required for these jobs, though some managers may choose to become certified as an additional reason for hiring managers to take notice. Certification is available in many areas depending on specific interests, such as the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management, which offers certification in medical management, or the American Health Information Management Association, which offers specialized health information management certification. If you have a special interest in nursing homes or long-term care, the American College of Health Care Administrators also offers the Certified Nursing Home Administrator and Certified Assisted Living Administrator distinctions.

What Does a Healthcare Manager Do?

The responsibility of a healthcare manager is to oversee the policy, accounting, and facilities management needs of an organization. They will often deal with the 30,000 foot view of an organization and think about issues related to growth, sustainability, and future vision. Typical roles often involve fast-paced activity and will require frequent communication and adaptation depending on issues that arise. Some healthcare manager roles can be more junior, while others can be closer to the executive level, so duties may vary.

Where Do Healthcare Managers Work?

This is also a positive aspect of the position – as there is a great diversity of locations that need healthcare managers. Some work in more typical environments, such as:

Hospitals
Clinics
Private practices
Skilled nursing
Facilities
Rehabilitation locations

Others might work in academic or research settings or some of the more forward-leaning health technology companies that need someone experienced in healthcare for a management role.

Related, with the continued expansion of electronic health records, the increase in chronic disease, and an aging American population, there has also been an explosion of third-party vendors who support healthcare operations. These companies could have several opportunities for management oversight, delivering services related to tracking health data, prescriptions by mail, or interactive virtual platforms.

What Are the Roles & Duties of a Healthcare Manager?

Provide leadership and oversight to the facility to ensure streamlined operations.
Contribute to long-term roadmap objectives and goals based on new insights and network/partnership opportunities.
Perform claims-based analyses to understand current impact and future potential to inform business development and internal operations changes.
Create work plans, pricing estimates, and risk assessments for prospects.
Actively build a professional network and affiliate network in the local community
Participate in quality assurance and improvement initiatives

Healthcare Manager Salary & Employment

As of May 2023, the average annual salary for a medical or health services manager was $110,680. While this is the average, the geographic location and type of environment will likely have a large influence over the salary offered. For example, government and hospital positions are generally paid the most, and nursing and residential facilities are paid the least. Most healthcare managers will work full-time, and some positions may even require being on-call or working overtime, especially if employed through a more residential facility such as a nursing home. Job outlook for this type of position is also very favorable, though, and is predicted to grow 7% through 2032, which is much faster than other sectors.