What do healthcare managers do?
Today, healthcare organizations are bracing for a rapidly aging population – for example, about 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 each day – and they must be strategic about how they intend to meet growing healthcare needs. Healthcare managers play a key role in helping organizations prepare for and respond to this changing healthcare landscape.
As a healthcare manager, you’ll be responsible for planning, directing and overseeing health services. You will also need to understand the business of healthcare in order to collaborate with other healthcare leaders on important organizational decisions.
Possible healthcare management job titles include:
- Physician Practice Manager
- Quality and Improvement Manager
- Patient Finance Manager
- Managed Care Representative
- Healthcare Department Manager
- Population Health Manager
See a more detailed list of positions in healthcare management for applicants who have earned an associate, bachelor or master’s degree.
Most healthcare managers work for hospitals or other medical practices, such as physician offices, clinics and outpatient care centers, but they can also work in other fields like insurance or pharmaceutical sales.
With additional experience and education, healthcare managers can advance to executive-level management positions, such as Program Director or Chief Operations Officer. These roles are focused on strategic leadership and often require a master’s-level degree or higher.
Healthcare manager vs. healthcare administrator
There are a few primary differences between a healthcare manager and health administrator, namely in the big picture roles and responsibilities. Healthcare administrators generally deal with more day-to-day tasks in healthcare, while healthcare managers oversee the direction of a healthcare system and organization-wide initiatives.
Learn more about what it takes to become a healthcare administrator.
