4/2/2018 Medical and Health Services Managers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Medical and Health Services Managers
Summary

Medical and health services managers plan, direct, and

coordinate the delivery of healthcare.

Quick Facts: Medical and Health Services Managers

$96,540 per year
2016 Median Pay
$46.41 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education Bachelor's degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation Less than 5 years
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2016 352,200
Job Outlook, 2016-26 20% (Much faster than average)
Employment Change, 2016-26 72,100

What Medical and Health Services Managers Do

Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct, and
coordinate medical and health services. They might 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 direct changes that conform to changes in
healthcare laws, regulations, and technology.
Work Environment
Most medical and health services managers work in offices in healthcare facilities, including hospitals and nursing homes, and
group medical practices.
How to Become a Medical or Health Services Manager
Most medical and health services managers have at least a bachelor’s degree before entering the field; however, master’s degrees
also are common. Prospective managers typically have some work experience in an administrative or a clinical role in a hospital or
other healthcare facility.
Pay
The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $96,540 in May 2016.
Job Outlook

E l f di l dh l h i i j d
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Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 20 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the
average for all occupations. As the large baby-boom population ages and people remain active later in life, there should be
increased demand for healthcare services.
State & Area Data
Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for medical and health services managers.
Similar Occupations
Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of medical and health services managers with similar occupations.
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about medical and health services managers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key
characteristics of workers and occupations.

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:

Improve efficiency and quality in delivering healthcare services

Develop departmental goals and objectives
Ensure that the facility in which they work is up to date on and compliant with laws and regulations
Recruit, train, and supervise staff members
Manage the finances of the facility, such as patient fees and billing
Create work schedules
Prepare and monitor budgets and spending to ensure departments operate within funding limits
Represent the facility at investor meetings or on governing boards

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Keep and organize records of the facility’s services, such as the number of inpatient beds used
Communicate with members of the medical staff and department heads

Medical and health services managers work closely with physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, medical and clinical
laboratory technologists and technicians, and other healthcare workers. Others may interact with patients or insurance agents.

Medical and health services managers’ titles depend on the facility or area of expertise in which they work.

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

Nursing home administrators manage staff, admissions, finances, and care of the building, as well as care of the residents in
nursing homes. All states require licensure for nursing home administrators; licensing requirements vary by state.

Clinical managers oversee a specific department, such as nursing, surgery, or physical therapy, and have responsibilities based
on that specialty. Clinical managers set and carry out policies, goals, and procedures for their departments; evaluate the quality of
the staff’s work; and develop reports and budgets.

Health information managers are responsible for the maintenance and security of all patient records and data. They must
stay up to date with evolving information technology, current or proposed laws about health information systems, and trends in
managing large amounts of complex data. Health information managers must ensure that databases are complete, accurate, and
accessible only to authorized personnel. They also may supervise the work of medical records and health information technicians.

Work Environment

Some medical and health services managers oversee the

activities of a number of facilities.

Medical and health services managers held about 352,200 jobs in 2016. The largest employers of medical and health services
managers were as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private 36%

Offices of physicians 11
Nursing and residen al care facili es 10
Government 8
Outpa ent care centers 7

Most medical and health services managers work in offices.

Work Schedules
Most medical and health services managers work full time. About 3 in 10 managers worked more than 40 hours per week in 2016.
Work during evenings or weekends may be required in healthcare settings that are open at all hours, such as hospitals and nursing
homes. Medical and health services managers may need to be on call in case of emergencies.

How to Become a Medical or Health Services Manager

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Medical and health services managers must effectively

communicate policies and procedures with other health
professionals.

Most medical and health services managers have at least a bachelor’s degree before entering the field. However, master’s degrees
are common and sometimes preferred by employers. Educational requirements vary by facility and specific function.

Education
Medical and health services managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. However, master’s
degrees are common and sometimes preferred by employers. Graduate programs often last between 2 and 3 years and may
include up to 1 year of supervised administrative experience in a hospital or healthcare consulting setting.

Prospective medical and health services managers typically have a degree in health administration, health management, nursing,
public health administration, or business administration. Degrees that focus on both management and healthcare combine
business-related courses with courses in medical terminology, hospital organization, and health information systems. For
example, a degree in health administration or health information management often includes courses in health services
management, accounting and budgeting, human resources administration, strategic planning, law and ethics, health economics,
and health information systems.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

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

Others may begin their careers as medical records and health information technicians, administrative assistants, or financial
clerks within a healthcare office.

Important Qualities
Analytical skills. Medical and health services managers must understand and follow current regulations and adapt to new
laws.

Communication skills. These managers must effectively communicate policies and procedures to other health professionals
and ensure their staff’s compliance with new laws and regulations.

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.

Interpersonal skills. Medical and health services managers discuss staffing problems and patient information with other
professionals, such as physicians and health insurance representatives.

Leadership skills. These managers are often responsible for finding creative solutions to staffing or other administrative
problems. They must hire, train, motivate, and lead staff.

Technical skills. Medical and health services managers must stay up to date with advances in healthcare technology and data
analytics. For example, they may need to use coding and classification software and electronic health record (EHR) systems as
their facility adopts these technologies.

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Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states require licensure for nursing home administrators; requirements vary by state. In most states, these administrators
must have a bachelor’s degree, complete a state-approved training program, and pass a national licensing exam. Some states also
require applicants to pass a state-specific exam; others may require applicants to have previous work experience in a healthcare
facility. Some states also require licensure for administrators in assisted-living facilities. For information on specific state-by-state
licensure requirements, visit the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards .

A license is typically not required in other areas of medical and health services management. However, some positions may
require applicants to have a registered nurse or social worker license.

Although certification is not required, some managers choose to become certified. Certification is available in many areas of
practice. For example, the Professional Association of Health Care Office Management offers certification in medical
management, the American Health Information Management Association offers health information management certification,
and the American College of Health Care Administrators offers the Certified Nursing Home Administrator and Certified
Assisted Living Administrator distinctions.

Advancement
Medical and health services managers advance by moving into higher paying positions with more responsibility. Some health
information managers, for example, can advance to become responsible for the entire hospital’s information systems. Other
managers may advance to top executive positions within the organization. Advancement to top level executive positions usually
requires a master’s degree.

Pay

Medical and Health Services Managers

Median annual wages, May 2016

Medical and health services

$96,540
managers

Other management
$87,420
occupations

Total, all occupations $37,040

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics

The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $96,540 in May 2016. The median wage is the wage at
which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less
than $56,970, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $172,240.

In May 2016, the median annual wages for medical and health services managers in the top industries in which they worked were
as follows:

Hospitals; state, local, and private $104,340

Government 104,110
Outpa ent care centers 89,480
Offices of physicians 87,540
Nursing and residen al care facili es 80,340

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Most medical and health services managers work full time. About 3 in 10 managers worked more than 40 hours per week in 2016.
Work during evenings or weekends may be required in healthcare settings such as hospitals and nursing homes, which are open at
all hours. Medical and health services managers may need to be on call in case of emergencies.

Job Outlook

Medical and Health Services Managers

Percent change in employment, projected 2016-26

Medical and health services

20%
managers

Other management
8%
occupations

Total, all occupations 7%

Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 20 percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the
average for all occupations. As the large baby-boom population ages and people remain active later in life, there should be
increased demand for healthcare services.

This means greater needs for physicians and other healthcare workers, medical procedures, and healthcare facilities, and
therefore greater needs for managers who organize and manage medical information and healthcare staff. There should also be
increased demand for nursing care facility administrators as the population grows older.

Employment is projected to grow in offices of health practitioners. Many services previously provided in hospitals will shift to
these settings, especially as medical technologies improve. Demand in medical group practice management is projected to grow as
medical group practices become larger and more complex.

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,
manage, and integrate these records across areas of the healthcare industry.

Job Prospects
Job prospects for medical and health services managers are likely to be favorable. In addition to rising employment demand, the
need to replace managers who retire over the next decade will result in some openings. Candidates with a master’s degree in
health administration or a related field, as well as knowledge of healthcare IT systems, will likely have the best prospects.

Employment projections data for medical and health services managers, 2016-26
Change, 2016-26
SOC Employment, Projected Employment, Employment by
Occupational Title Code 2016 2026 Percent Numeric Industry

Medical and health services

11-9111 352,200 424,300 20 72,100 xlsx
managers

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

State & Area Data

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Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800
occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and
nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Medical and health services managers

Projections Central
Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state
Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com . Information on this
site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In
addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop
CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the
left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is
also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

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 2016 MEDIAN PAY

Administrative services
managers plan, direct, and
coordinate supportive services
of an organization. Their
Administrative specific responsibilities vary,
Services but administrative service Bachelor's degree $90,050
Managers managers typically maintain
facilities and supervise
activities that include
recordkeeping, mail
distribution, and office upkeep.

Computer and information

systems managers, often called
information technology (IT)
managers or IT project
managers, plan, coordinate,
Computer and
and direct computer-related
Information
activities in an organization. Bachelor's degree $135,800
Systems
They help determine the
Managers
information technology goals
of an organization and are
responsible for implementing
computer systems to meet
those goals.

Financial managers are

responsible for the financial
health of an organization. They
produce financial reports,
Financial
direct investment activities, Bachelor's degree $121,750
Managers
and develop strategies and
plans for the long-term
financial goals of their
organization.

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OCCUPATION JOB DUTIES ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION 2016 MEDIAN PAY

Human resources managers

plan, direct, and coordinate the
administrative functions of an
organization. They oversee the
Human recruiting, interviewing, and
Resources hiring of new staff; consult Bachelor's degree $106,910
Managers with top executives on strategic
planning; and serve as a link
between an organization’s
management and its
employees.

Insurance underwriters decide

whether to provide insurance,
Insurance and under what terms. They
Bachelor's degree $67,680
Underwriters evaluate insurance applications
and determine coverage
amounts and premiums.

Medical records and health

information technicians,
commonly referred to as health
information technicians,
organize and manage health
information data. They ensure
that the information maintains
Medical
its quality, accuracy,
Records and
accessibility, and security in
Health Postsecondary nondegree award $38,040
both paper files and electronic
Information
systems. They use various
Technicians
classification systems to code
and categorize patient
information for insurance
reimbursement purposes, for
databases and registries, and to
maintain patients’ medical and
treatment histories.

Social and community service

managers coordinate and
Social and
supervise social service
Community
programs and community Bachelor's degree $64,680
Service
organizations. They manage
Managers
workers who provide social
services to the public.

Top executives devise

strategies and policies to
ensure that an organization
Top Executives meets its goals. They plan, Bachelor's degree $103,950
direct, and coordinate
operational activities of
companies and organizations.

Buyers and purchasing agents

Purchasing
buy products and services for
Managers,
organizations to use or resell.
Buyers, and Bachelor's degree $64,850
Purchasing managers oversee
Purchasing
the work of buyers and
Agents
purchasing agents.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about medical and healthcare management, visit
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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

O*NET
Medical and Health Services Managers

Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers,
on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm (visited March 27, 2018).

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2018

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, PSB Suite 2135, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20212-0001
www.bls.gov/ooh | Telephone: 1-202-691-5700 | Contact OOH

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